Temporal
by PhantomOfTheBookStore
Summary: Traveling through time with the guy you were suppose to keep sealed away can cause many issues. Especially when you throw in the extra baggage of a temporal ghost girl. Originally called Taking Back Time, this story was written by me and Kohana Mishikoto. Chapter 11 and 20 dubcon (Dubious Consent) warning! Meddling Minutes story with some Dan/OC ((DanXClockwork/DanXOC))
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Being alone in a tower for an eternity tended to get lonely no matter who you are. Clockwork, the Ghost of Time, was watching his view screens contemplating basic friendships and relationships as he watched people fall in love with or befriend other people. It all seemed really nice, like something he'd like to try for himself. Sadly he saw how some friendships and romances ended up, but even so, he still wished maybe just maybe….

He turned away from his view screens, his long purple cloak swirling out behind him with his movement. He heaved a sigh feeling foolish. Those emotions belonged to someone else. Not him. He didn't get to have relationships because it was his job to make sure things went the way they should. Best to put such thoughts out of his mind and go about his business. He'd been alone since the dawn of time. He should be use to it.

He floated past a table with a worn dented thermos sitting on it. It was quiet today. Usually there was a lot of screaming, yelling, threats, curses, and just general misbehavior from the occupant of the thermos. Maybe they were feeling tired. Clockwork didn't care either way and continued to another table. On this table were gears, a clock face, and tiny fluffy golden wings. Clockwork set his staff down that he had been carrying and instead picked up some tools. After a while of tinkering, what looked like a pocket watch with wings lay on the table. He wound the back of it, and the little watch come to life, even giving a bit of a chirp. It fluttered around his hand, then landed in his outstretched hand.

"Gillie Bird. I think that would make a good name for you." Clockwork spoke in his calm, deep, but soft voice.

The watch creature made another chirp and floated around him again. It started to travel around the clock tower as if checking out it's new home. Clockwork chuckled and followed after it. Perhaps this little creature would be just enough company for him.

After Gillie explored the tower for a while, and Clockwork followed enjoying the surprised and even comical reactions Gillie had to items in the tower, the Ghost of Time decided he had better get back to his job and went to the viewing screens. Hours passed, or it could have been days, weeks, or years. It was all hard to tell in the clock tower. Clockwork was getting ready to see about getting some tea when he thought to look for Gillie. The little creature had grown quiet and Clockwork was worried that it had run down. A loud crash told him otherwise. He went to the source of the noise and gasped when he saw that somehow, Gillie had knocked over the thermos and it had landed on the release button. A dark mist poured from the thermos. It swirled together and started to form into the shape of a man.

The very pissed off, muscular, and tall occupant of the thermos had been freed and he was glaring at Clockwork with blazing red eyes. The Time Keeper backed away as the other ghost advanced towards him. Dan was the larger of the two, far more muscular and taller, but power wise, he was slightly outclassed. Both ghosts knew this, and both were going to try and use the information to their advantage.

Dan lunged at Clockwork and grabbed the other ghost's staff. His momentum kept them moving and Dan slammed Clockwork into the nearest wall. The two struggled with the staff for a while, one trying to take it from the other or gain control of it, when light shot from it. About that time Gillie had been floating their way and was hit by the light. It turned the little watch creature into a golden fluff ball, but it still fell to the floor. Clockwork gasped and looked at his little creation which was enough of an opening for Dan to shove the staff against Clockwork's throat.

"Now that I have your attention," Dan started, "I would like to express how upset I am that you kept me locked away in that thermos all this time."

He pushed the staff against the other ghost's neck harder. If the other had been alive, his airway would have been cut off, but right now it was just painful.

"I think I'll see if I can pop your head off your shoulders." the evil ghost said with a sadistic grin.

His face suddenly got a confused look and he let out a grunt before falling over. For the first time in a long time, Clockwork had switched his wisp tail for a set of legs and had firmly planted a knee between Dan's legs. While the other ghost lay on the floor holding himself in pain, Clockwork leaned against the wall rubbing his sore neck.

"You were saying?" the Time Ghost grunted out.

Clockwork stepped over Dan who reached out a large black gloved hand and grabbed Clockwork's booted ankle. Dan snatched Clockwork off his feet. The other ghost landed on his stomach with an "omph".

Gillie finally seemed to regain its wits and got back into the air. Chirping in a panicked manor, he flew to a view screen that was still on and flew through it to try and find help...


	2. Enter Liz

**Chapter 1 **

**Enter Liz**

Flying through the view screen, Gillie would emerge someplace new. Somewhere unfamiliar. Gillie gave a confused chirp as it looked around. It didn't know if it had gone into the past or the future or somewhere into the now. Not to mention it didn't know just how far it went either. Chirping softly, it kept flying till it came across a woman of twenty-three and dressed in a dark shade of blue dress that hung off her shoulders and had a V-neck. Her legs were folded to the side like a lady and were clad in tights with black heels. She had long red hair and forest green eyes with gold specks around the iris. She was sitting and laughing with a young man with messy brown hair and in a blue pinstripe suit with a brown trench coat. They seemed to be having a picnic of some kind out in the sun. Gillie looked mostly at the girl with a sense of recognition. It had seen her before. Or rather it knew who she was. And it knew she could help. With an excited chirp, he quickly flew over to the woman. Making her jump as it flew around her with urgent chirps. "Hey...hey, hey, hey! Woah!" She spoke. Gillie paused. Why did she sound so different? It had been sure her voice was American not British. "Gillie Bird, are you alright?" She asks, worried. Holding her hand out to him. Gillie figured it would ponder this question later. Right now its master needed help. And she was the one to give it. Gillie chirped at her urgently again and she seemed to be listening. As if understanding his chirps. The young man beside her, merely sat there in quiet. Watching on curiously. "Oh...Oh, I see...Well then, we have no time to waste, eh? After all, you're a long way from home. I mean look at you! You're so new..."

"Uh, Liz...What's going on?"

"Sorry, Doc...I gotta go. The picnic was nice though. I enjoyed it, thank you." She smiled and kissed his cheek before standing up. Placing Gillie on her shoulder, she would summon a staff of dark wood with a metal setting at the top. Holding a crystal orb that would pulse with a golden light."Right then...Hold on tight, Gillie...Time travel can be painful." Gillie just chirped and snuggled into her neck as Liz held up her staff. The orb would begin to glow brightly until it was shinning. "Geronimo…" With a yell, Liz stabbed her staff down into the ground. Opening a window to the time or dimension Gillie had come from before quickly moving through it and out into Clockwork's tower.

She would find Dan and Clockwork fighting. Blasts flew and struck gears, springs and bells causing all kinds of noise. Dan's blasts more destructive than Clockwork's. Neither man seemed to notice Gillie or Liz as they continued to fight. Liz would look around as she dodged a few attacks and even went intangible a few times to avoid being hit by things. Looking to the two fighting men, she rolled her eyes. "Enough!" She yelled. Pointing her staff at them to surround them in golden light. Freezing them in that moment. Huffing, Liz walked over and couldn't help but smile. "You both look so young...Time is funny that way isn't it?" She turned her head to look at Dan. Eyes roaming him over with a bit of blush, damn his muscular build, and a bit of a glare. "You...it's been so long since I've seen you, and at the same time its only been a month, at best…" She would begin to circle him. Tsking at his clothes. "I forgot just how much a prick you were...like the you from my time better. Much more fashion sense too. Then again…" Her mind wondered the mysterious creature Dan had taken a liking too. Even loved. Not that she could tell him that. "Now then, boys, since you both insist on acting like children within the tower, would you mind telling me just what Dan is doing out of the thermos this early and why he is trying to kill you?" Liz would ask, snapping her fingers to unfreeze them as Gillie chirped and flew over to Clockwork.

"The fuck are you!?" Dan exclaimed when he was un-froze.

"...Elizabeth?" Clockwork asked looking at the woman.

None of this was suppose to be happening. He had seen none of it in any of his viewers. Had he screwed up by creating Gillie. It seemed as soon as he had given the little fluff ball life as a watch, that things had changed drastically.

"Gillie knocked over the thermos. It landed on the release button. He was knocked to the floor and turned into some sort of bird creature." Clockwork said in his ever so calm manner.

"I'm still confused as to what the fuck is going on…." Dan said floating there close to the two other ghosts with his arms over his chest and looking pretty pissed off still, but not as pissed as when he'd first escaped his prison.

"Oh, stop your pouting, Daniel, I'll explain in a moment." She grumbled. Exchanging her tail for legs and feet. Placing her staff on her shoulder, she turned her attention to Clockwork. "Let's start with you. Yes, it is me, but I go by Liz now thanks, as for the British thing...It's a long story that I can not tell you because it happens in your future. Well, my future...a future we're apart of. Nevermind that." Liz gave a smile as she began to pace. "And why was the thermos not up on its shelf where it was suppose to be? No offense, Daniel, but you are not suppose to be released." She said. Nudging him with her staff as she started to look at some of the time windows till she found the right one. "As for you, Daniel...You know me and don't know me. Hm. Tenses. Anyways, you know me as the thirteen year old ghost girl dressed in a short black skirt and white gogo boots with a long sleeved black bell tee and white gloves. Snowy white hair up in a ponytail. **YOU** shoved a time medallion in my chest with Danny. Trapping us in what should have been our future, a future you tried so hard to see happen just recently." As she said this, she would push the time window towards him to show him events of that day as she turned to face both of them. "What's going on here is that Gillie flew through my time window but instead of finding my thirteen year old self, he found me and it sounded urgent. So here I am! Timekeeper Liz, at your service!"

"She talks to much…...must be a kid of yours." Dan muttered.

Clockwork glared at Dan and shook his head. "Ok. That makes sense. I can understand that." Clockwork said nodding. He went to get the thermos off the floor, but a well placed blast from Dan blew the contraption apart.

"I'm not going back in there. It was cramped and I was majorly bored." Dan said grinning.

Clockwork glared at Dan. He then looked at Liz. "Is he this bad in your time or dimension? Please tell me he's not." Liz would sigh and whack Dan upside the head with her staff.

"I am not his kid and I do not talk too much!" She huffed before turning to Clockwork. "Still a bit of a prick and a major arse at times, but...He and Danny...Sorry, Danni with an 'i', have separated bodies and they're better off that way despite some disagreements on that notion. You wouldn't believe me but...Even the Dan from my time has a significant other now. And he doesn't go around just randomly attacking places much anymore either….least not as much as the one before us does."

"That's all very interesting and quite a bit to take in." Clockwork said.

Dan had not been happy about being whacked and was about to attack when Clockwork froze him in time again. "I am sorry, he never learns." Liz stuck her tongue out childishly at Dan before moving away from him so he could not reach her as she nodded.

"It's no trouble, really...The Dan from my time...He and I have this frenemies sort of thing going, but when it really matters...when it really comes down to it...He's actually someone I can rely on for safety." She said. Thinking of the time Dan had allowed her to stay in his domain for a night or two in order to protect a very precious bundle.

"I wish this one could learn to be a bit compassionate." Clockwork muttered. He started to look as if he was deep in thought when he let Dan go again.

"Stop doing that!" Dan exclaimed. This time he was livid and he jumped at Clockwork once more. He grabbed the staff like earlier and the two tried to wrestle it from each other. As they wrestled there was a bright flash of light from the staff. Clockwork, Dan, Gillie, and Liz were suddenly transported from the clock tower. They would find themselves on a large old fashioned ship in the middle of the ocean in a storm. A man running around to fix lines on the boat to hold the mast slammed into Clockwork and Dan. Somehow the two fumbled the time staff and it fell from their hands to hit the ship floor and break. Magic from it washed over the ship and anyone with temporal powers were now stuck only able to go where ever the staff would send them and when.

"You fool!" Clockwork growled.

"Oh…..fuck…." Dan said blinking in surprise.


	3. High Seas, High Stakes

**Chapter 2**

**High Seas, High Stakes**

When the fight began a new, Liz had tried to move out of the way and grab onto the staff. Attempting to pull it free while yelling at them both to let it go. When she noticed the staff begin to react oddly, she would blink and try to grab their attention in vain. Liz shielded her eyes as they were blinded by the flash and placed somewhere new. Unsteady on her feet, she let go of the staff to try and keep balance as she blinked furiously from the rain and wind in her eyes. Her head turning from side to side to look all around at their new surroundings. "Where the bloody hell are we!?" She yells over the storm. Looking back to the still wrestling ghosts. When neither seemed like they planned to answer, she huffed and looked to the side just in time to see someone coming towards them. "Uh, guys...Guys…" She winces the strange man runs into them and gasps as the staff fell from their hands. "The staff!" Liz moved quickly to try and grab it but froze in shock as it broke upon impact. "No…No…"

Before there was time to react, the staff in her hands vanished. Making her gasp and stare in disbelief. "**NO!** What have you done? **WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?**" She screamed. The gold in her eyes flaring to life as her body pulsed with it. Breathing heavily, she looked down at herself and suddenly screamed in pain as all of her temporal powers left her. When it faded, she fell weakly to the deck with a few coughs and a sob. "I-Idiots...What...What have you done? What have you done…"

"Liz!" Clockwork exclaimed as he saw the girl in pain. He moved to her side to try and see if he could help her. Gillie mad sad chirps as he flew around her, then landed on her arm. "Liz, I am so sorry. I did not mean for this to happen. I never thought that something like this could….." he stopped as he felt eyes on him. There were several men with swords pointed at them while others continued to try and keep the boat afloat. Dan growled as the sailors pointed their swords even at him. He started to gather a plasma blast in his hand to start fighting the sailors when Gillie flew from his perch and got in Dan's face tweeting furiously and hitting him in the face with his body.

Dan was not amused and went to swat the little creature, but it went intangible and flew into his chest. This was unexpected and Dan gasped. Gillie used himself like a seal and sealed most of Dan's powers away making him unable to fight these sailors as he had Clockwork.

"_Behave...help lady! Behave and help lady! Can't use powers! Sealed till home! Help and get home can have powers back!"_ a voice chirped in his head.

"**WHAT!?" **Dan exclaimed enraged.

While this was going on, Clockwork was trying to help Liz up. "I am sorry. You will be all right. Come on. We must get up. We can not rest here." he said soothingly. Liz would nod her head and lean against him as he helped her up to her feet.

"My staff...was your staff. F-From the...future. M-My powers were your powers...No staff...No powers…" She said quietly so the others couldn't hear. She was trying to asses what time period they were in by the state of the ship and the peoples clothes. But without the ability to see timelines, it was a lot harder than normal. "I-I can't...I can't tell...**WHEN** we are…" Liz sighed before looking to Dan and scoffing. "It's Gillie...Bit early for Gillie to be talking but that's what he does. Phases inside of you and seals off your abilities. Like a moment frozen in time."

"Gillie spoke?" Clockwork asked in surprise as he helped Liz to stay standing.

Dan made his hand intangible, ready to reach into his chest and pull Gillie out, but a sword found it's way near his storm around them was calming down. The sailors had gotten the ship under control and now the ones who weren't busy had surrounded the three time travelers.

"Pirates." Clockwork murmured as he looked at the sailors clothing and the ship a bit more closely.

"Oh goodie…" Liz murmured, remembering the last time she had encountered pirates in her adventures. Despite how her adventure had ended, she doubted this one would end on the same pleasantries. "So...Any ideas on what we do next?"

"We fight." Dan growled.

Clockwork shook his head. "With diminished powers, we won't be able to do much against them."

"Rouse the Captain! Tell him we have stowaways!"

"Stowaways? Oh…" Liz sighed and hung her head with a cough. Like the rest of the crew, Liz, Clockwork, and Dan were soaked. And while it may not have bothered the other two, Liz, who was still half human, was starting to shiver from her cold wet clothes sticking to her body. "Any chance any of you are still a gentlemen and will lend a shivering lady your coat?"

"I somehow doubt it." Clockwork murmured.

The Captain soon made his appearance as he strolled over to where the three were surrounded. "Well, I would have thought that stowaways would have picked a better time than during a storm to make themselves known. That is unless you were planning on jumping to safety. I assure you, this ship is not going down so easily." He stepped closer to inspect the three. "What are you? Devils perhaps? Sea spirits?"

His men snickered as they listened to their captain. The captain grinned at his crew and then looked back at Liz and the other two. "I'd say those were some elaborate costumes, but since the color on your faces didn't run, I can assume it's not paint. So, that leaves something unnatural."

"We are spirits, and we will leave your ship once you go to port." Clockwork spoke. For some reason this had the men almost roaring with laughter. Perhaps the storm causing them to come so close to death that they were just high off the adrenaline. That or this whole ship was run by insane sailors.

"Perhaps you are spirits, but if so, why can you not get back the way you come, and why is the female shaking so?" the Captain asked with a smirk.

"Because I'm cold, you idiot…" She sneered. Gently pushing off Clockwork. These men wanted ghosts, she'd give them one. Just because she didn't have her temporal abilities, didn't mean she didn't her ghost powers. "But beware what you see, for all is not what it appears to be!" She yelled as a golden blue light surrounded her waist before traveling in different directions along her body. The blue light would travel up from her waist. Transforming the dress into a her long sleeved black tee, her white gloves appearing now finger less with blue nail-polish on her nails. And her long hair snowy white and pulled into a ponytail. The gold light would travel down to leave her blue skirt with black leggings and her white boots. Her eyes would open to show them a glowing green. "Sea dogs, hark to thee! For the mistreatment you have given upon my mortal shell, your vessel shall be doomed to Davey Jones locker upon the next high winds!" Her hands would begin to glow green with ectoplasm. "Unless….you show the spirits that now stand upon your deck some proper hospitality."

Everyone, including Dan and Clockwork went quiet. Dan just looked at her like she was stupid. Clockwork seemed to be waiting to see what was going to happen. After a few more tense and quiet moments, the captain began to clap slowly.

"Very very nice, my dear. You have given us quite a show. In fact I won't throw you overboard or clap you in irons. You three can stay until we reach the next port. You stay, you pull your own weight. No one sails for free on my ship." The captain said as he looked the three over. "Tell me, oh benevolent spirit woman, can you sail? I may put you on the ropes. You keep my mast and all the way they need to be, and I may reward you with a room away from the scurvy sea dogs I call a crew."

Liz sighed as her hands flickered and she shifted back. Swaying a little, she leaned on Clockwork in exhaustion. Lifting her head to look at the captain, she arched a brow at his name for her. "Benevolent spirit woman? I'm called Elizabeth…" She grumbled. "But to answer your question, I know not how to sail but I am a fast learner…" Liz answered. Closing her eyes as she laid her head down on Clockwork's shoulder. "Captain, you have my word that soon as I have regained my strength I will help you in any way I am able."

Clockwork picked Liz up bridal style so he could take her to wherever they would be resting.

The Captain nodded. "Alright you lot! Take them down to the hold for a while. Let them rest up. Tomorrow they will be a part of the crew." He called out.

The pirates all made various cheers and other sounds as the three were led down to the Hold. Dan wasn't happy about their current situation, but couldn't do much about it with Gillie blocking his power. He glared at Clockwork and Liz before looking at the floor. "Guess I'm stuck with you two for the time being." he grumbled.

"Then make yourself useful and find something to use as a pallet. We can at least make Liz comfortable." Clockwork said as he continued to hold the girl.

Dan gave an exaggerated sigh before starting to look around, cursing Clockwork with every step. Soon a small pallet was made from clothing and other types of cloth found in the hold. Probable a sail or two. After that was done, Dan went to a corner of the hold to sulk. Clockwork set Liz down on the pallet, then moved to sit on a box. "How are you feeling? Do you need to get some dry clothes on? I think I spotted something dry over there when Daniel was rummaging."

Liz turned her head to look at him as she smiled fondly. "Look at you...still taking care of me as if I was the frightened twelve year old being chased by ghost vultures through the Ghost Zone in a black and white jumper…" She laughs a bit and closes her eyes. "Just tiered. Dry clothes would be nice but I do believe I'll survive."

Clockwork nodded. "Alright." he said as he looked around. His face had gotten a bit of a blush from what she had said about him, but he really didn't respond to it.

"Ok, say we get to port and all that shit. How does that help us get home?" Dan asked from his spot. "I just don't see how that will help us."

"Off this ship we can see when we are and we can see about maybe figuring out where. Then from there we may be able to get an idea on how to get home." Clockwork answered.

"Every time period has a window. Every era has a door. If we just find the right one…" Liz said, yawning as she pushed herself to sit up and look between the two. "Plan B is I get lucky and run into a few familiar faces that can help me get in touch with someone who could get us back home. But I suppose that depends on just where we are when and if we get to port."

"If Tweetie Bird hadn't blocked my powers I could have flown to port! Hell the old fart can probably fly us to port!" Dan exclaimed in frustration.

"I suppose you think I'm going to give you a piggy back ride while I carry Liz?" Clockwork asked. "As fun as that sounds, I'll have to pass on it."

"Look, let's just focus on getting dry and some rest. We'll be more energized come morning, and those of us with the energy to spare can be of some use while keeping you out of trouble, Dan. Last thing we need is your attitude getting us all thrown overboard or worse, left stranded on some beach somewhere!"

Dan glared between Clockwork and Liz. It looked like that rage of his was about to come back into focus, but instead he let out a sigh through his nose and turned to lay on his back where he'd been sitting. "Fine…...whatever."

Clockwork just continued to sit where he was on the boxes, but closed his eyes as if resting also. The gentle rocking of the boat with it's creaking and sounds of the ocean soon had him and both Dan sound asleep. They were both pretty tired from the fight they had had and from all this time travel confusion.

Liz was bit surprised Dan had complied so easily. She had honestly thought he'd fight with her. Blinking, she watched the two ghosts fall asleep to the gentle rhythmic rocking of the vessel. Shaking her head fondly, she'd lay back down and cover herself up to get warm best she could as she closed her eyes. Maybe...Just maybe there was something of Danny's good side left within him after all...


	4. Ghost Ship

**Chapter 3**

**Ghost Ship**

Though Clockwork, Dan, and Liz were indeed fast learners, to the sailors of the ship, they were incompetent. Even though they did everything exactly as told and just as good as any of the men, they were made to do it over again. While Liz had been taken on as a Rigger, Dan and Clockwork were just counted as abled bodied sailors. Clockwork wasn't happy at the separation, so tried to keep an eye on her best he could. Dan had to be pulled away from some of the other sailors as their constant belittling had finally gotten on his last nerve causing him to snap back at them and almost coming to blows. Clockwork had been able to drag him away so he'd cool off. Their first day started to turn into night and the three would be able to meet back up. Not without some more sneering and jeering from the crew and a few lewd comments to Liz. She was the only female aboard after all and a lot of the men were eyeing her like pray. Where the sailor's complaining and jeering got on Dan's nerves, these predatory gazes and wolf calls was getting on Clockwork's. He was almost growling audibly when Dan actually drug _him_ off so the three could talk alone.

"Can I blow this fucker out of the water? Please let me blow this fucker out of the water. You two _**KNOW**_ you want to blow this fucker out of the water." Dan growled out.

"We're **NOT** harming anyone, Dan...I don't care who they are or what they've done. You two have got to learn to simply ignore them. I am." Liz said. Folding her arms over her chest. She wouldn't ever admit that she enjoyed seeing Clockwork get overprotective of her. "Anyways, we've made it through day one. Best to just keep to ourselves, get something to eat, and rest up."

Dan grumbled, but Clockwork agreed although a bit grudgingly. The three would head down to the middle deck where they could get something to eat. Almost like high school bullies, the rest of the crew took as much of the food as they could before Liz and the other two could get there. Dan and Clockwork looked at one another, then grinned before starting to laugh a little. The sailors looked at the two as if they had finally come unhinged. Clockwork walked over to the nearly empty pot and put the rest of the food onto a plate and grabbed the last of the bread. He then took it to Liz and handed it to her.

"Dumbasses don't know that me and the old man are full ghosts. We don't have to eat." Dan snickered. To him, the joke was on the sailors.

"Dan...what the two of you don't eat, we save for me!" She growled, elbowing him in the stomach. "Idiot. They don't serve us as much as they get. **I'M** still human. **I** need to eat." She huffed. Placing her hands on her hips. "I hate saying it, but I need as much as we can get." She murmured. Glancing off to the side.

"That's why I have brought it to you." Clockwork said still holding out the plate with the food he had gathered to her.

"Which is much appreciated." Liz said with a smile. Glad that she wasn't the only one who was thinking rationally. "But seriously...next time you two want to start grinning like idiots with this little secret, could you try to not attract so much attention?"

"I am terribly sorry. I just found it amusing." Clockwork said with an apologetic look.

Dan just shrugged and saw a sailor was watching and quickly flipped him off. After dinner, the three were allowed to stay in the room with the rest of the sailors. They could each find a hammock and use it for their own. Dan grumbled about not wanting to sleep under some smelly human and found himself a top hammock to lay on. Clockwork took which ever was vacant. The two settled in and soon found out it wasn't as peaceful here as it was in the hold. Body odor, tight cramped quarters, the sound of snoring and sleep talkers, all made it for a hell of a time to try and get any sleep.

While the men may have been okay with sleeping amongst the crew, Liz...was not. She waited till she was sure everyone was asleep before phasing out of her hammock and up onto the deck. Sighing, she took her hair down from the ponytail and walked over to the right side of the ship as the night wind blew through her hair. Folding her arms on the railing, she looked out over the blackened sea as she leaned against the ship. She didn't know how anyone handled the sleeping arrangements down below. Liz was half tempted to return to the hold if she wasn't just as scared of possibly being found by a less than honorable man from the crew. Not that she was helpless, but Liz really didn't want to have to hurt anyone.

"You would be surprised by how many of my men just got the living shit beat out of them." the captain's voice said from behind her. "It was like you were baiting them. Daring them. Thirty men probably will be unable to work tomorrow. You must be someone important."

Liz would turn startled by the Captain. Blinking her eyes a few times, she turns back around to look out over the water. "I don't know what you speak of. I have nothing to provoke your men in such a way. They act on their own basic human desire for the touch of a female. Do not blame me for my companions merely protecting me." She said. Keeping her head held high. She knew she wasn't anyone important, not in the least bit. But if there was anything she had learned on her travels, it was always better to walk around like you own the place.

"Come now, you're not that dense. I know you weren't doing it on purpose, but your very presence…..these are some very….energetic sea dogs on this ship. I think they'll take to respecting your personal space now though. There's an open officer's room if you want it. Might keep you, your men, and my men, out of trouble." The captain said with a smirk.

Since these spirits had boarded his ship, he had been very amused by their presence and the action just got better with time. He was a jovial man, and not much bothered him. He wasn't sure if these stowaways were really any kind of spirits or not, but he did think they brought a certain flair to his ship. "Oh, by the way, you did a great job today. As per our agreement, you can have the room. Well besides what I mentioned earlier."

Liz turned her head slightly to look at him from the corner of her eyes over her shoulder. _They better respect my personal space._ She thought to herself before hearing him say she could have the officer's room with her 'men'. Liz snickered just a little at that. Her men. Oh was she glad the other two hadn't been up on deck with her to hear that. Nodding her head in agreement, she turned and began to walk towards the steps that would take her back down below deck before stopping to look at the Captain. "I never got your name, sir…"

"Captain Johnson. You're Elizabeth, I know that much. I didn't get the other two's names. I doubt it's important. I think I'd rather just have all conversation pertaining to the three of you with you." he said with a bit of a smirk and a wink.

Liz chuckled and nodded her head. "Good night...Captain Johnson." She smirked and headed down below deck. Not noticing the bodies in the floor because of the darkened room, Liz went over to Clockwork and Dan. She quietly woke them, rolling her eyes as Dan grumbled and complained, before motioning for them to follow her. Heading back up to the Officer's cabin, she held the door open as they entered in ahead of her. Following in behind, she locked the door and claimed the bed with a bit of a laugh. "Just **WHAT** did the two of you do to some of the crew? I just heard that the Captain isn't expecting over half his men to show up come morn."

"What? You thought that was carpet you were walking on down there? It was bodies." Dan said with a grin.

Clockwork rolled his eyes. "They were all alive. They will just be in a lot of pain in the morning. When you started upstairs several of the men started to follow you. I intervened. Several more men jumped in to defend their comrades. So then Dan jumped in."

"Misplaced aggression finally got to be used up." Dan said with a shrug. "I didn't care what they did to you or the old fart, but a chance to fight was a chance to fight."

"Oh, gee, thanks, Dan. I can definately feel the love…" She grumbled. Brushing her hair back from her face before pausing. "Hang on...How did you either of you know I went up above?" She asked. Letting her hair fall back into her face. "You both were suppose to be asleep…" Liz grumbled. Laying back as she folded her arms over her chest with a sigh. "Ah, well. It matters not. The damage has been done and Captain Johnson says he now believes I must be someone of importance." She told them. Leaving out the fact that he had called them her men and said knowing their names didn't matter, as it appeared her name was the only name worth knowing among the three of them.

"I don't particularly need sleep. More I was only resting." Clockwork said as he sat in one of the chairs in the room to rest.

Dan didn't make any comment, just laid on the floor with his arms behind his head. Like that the two would either have "drifted off" or were "resting". Either way, they were quiet. Clockwork wouldn't admit that before this whole ordeal he had just been feeling lonely. Her companionship made her an "important" person to him. Just as Dan knew if something happened to Liz, Gillie would never unseal his powers. Making Liz a top priority. The two ghosts would continue to quietly get lost in their own thoughts the rest of the night...


	5. Captain's Choice

**Chapter 4**

**Captain's Choice**

The next week went by much better than the first day. It seemed that the sailors had gained respect for their ghostly stowaways. Some of them had even learned the three's names instead of calling them by the first words to their mouths. They even had more respect for Liz, but this could be that the captain had been growing fond of her over the last week. Even inviting her to dine with him in his cabin. Work that was done by the three was no longer scrutinized. Instead Dan and Clockwork gained slaps on the back and encouraging words.

One day, the sea was calm, the sky was clear, and everyone seemed to be in high spirits. The navigator had let them all know that it wouldn't be too long until they reached the port. There should be nothing but smooth sailing the rest of the way. Of course like most things predicted in that day and age, something had to go wrong. Another ship was coming very close to them. Just off the starboard side.

"What do you think Captain?" the first mate asked.

The Captain had been about to answer the man when he saw the Spanish flag.

"Looks like we'll fight, Mr. Dover. Get all the men ready for battle. I want cannons being manned and every other able bodied man up here on deck with a pistol or a sword. Move!" the captain called. He then quickly went to find Liz hoping she was where he had left her at the sails.

Liz would be sitting on the main top sail yard with her hair down. Being who she was, she had no real reason to be fearful of falling to her death. As she sat there with her eyes closed, she reflected on how things had been. In their own, she, Clockwork, and Dan had all grown somewhat close to each other. They still mostly kept to themselves, but once the crew seemed to warm up to their presence, the three had slowly begun to interact with the other humans. Well, except Liz. The men, though respecting of her and her space, didn't seem to dare interact with her lest they get another beating. She didn't mind though. She only needed Clockwork and Dan anyways. But the Captain...He was an entirely different story. He was a gentlemen and often invited her to dine with him in his cabin, which she had kindly accepted. It made her feel somewhat bad cause she was leaving Clockwork and Dan to eat with the crew by themselves. However, the wise advice of her mentor had her enjoying the invitations while she could. Brushing her hair from her face, she would notice the new ship coming rather close to their vessel. And judging by the flag she waved, Liz knew it was the Spanish. Assuming her timeline was right, she knew a fight was about to break out. _I guess I better find Clockwork and Dan. Find out what the plan is. Do we hide below and stay out of this or do we keep unseen and fight?_ She thought to herself just as her name was called from down below.

"Elizabeth!" The Captain called again. When she come down to join him, he took her hand and smiled. "A fight is about to break out. It would put my mind at ease if you were safe in my cabin. If you feel the need, take your men with you."

Liz didn't honestly know how to react. She hadn't ever been asked to sit out a fight before. While the Timekeeper in her was saying that her and her 'men' sitting this one out might be the smart thing to do, the hero she grew up to be was saying that it wasn't even an option. "I-I-..." She slowly took her hand away and looked off to the side for a few moments. _What am I to do?_ She thought. _Sit out like a helpless female of this time? Or be the Hero I have always been?_ Narrowing her eyes a little, she softened them and shook her head as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail. "Sorry, but I wasn't born to sit on the sidelines. And neither were my-" She quickly looked around. "Men. We don't really need weapons. We have uh...unique gifts all our own, remember?" _Besides...Dan could use the excuse to let out some pent up issues._

The Captain sighed. "Alright. As you wish. Be careful." he smiled at her a little before heading off to do his job as captain.

About that time a cannonball tore through the quarterdeck. A few men went down and the Captain yelled out orders. The ship shot off its own cannonball hitting the other ship. As if on cue, Dan jumped into the air and started to gather energy. He didn't want to take the other ship out in one go, but he did want to cause a good deal of damage. When the ship fired another cannonball into Captain Johnson's ship, Dan fired off a very large plasma blast. There were screams from the attacking ship as men were lit on fire.

The moment they were first fired on, Liz had shifted into her ghost form and was punching out men left and right. A few of them received a plasma blast or two their chest while Dan enjoyed destroying the enemies. She just kept telling herself it was 'Us or them' and he could get away with this one time. Pausing for a moment, she would scan the ship for Clockwork. It was of the utmost importance that he was alright. Especially for her future. Well maybe not her, but the thirteen year old her at least. While distracted, a Spaniard came up from behind her. Grabbing her. Liz struggled then phased out of his hold as she turned quickly. Sending a right hook to his face, she kicked him in the side and pressed down on the man's throat with her foot. "Vuelva a su capitán y dile a retirar! Dile que si quiere mantener su barco a flote, él llamará fuera de este ataque! _(Go back to your Captain and tell him to withdraw! Tell him that if he wishes to keep his vessel afloat, he will call off this attack!)_" Liz tells him. Letting him go as she fired a warning bolt into his shoulder. The coward wasted no time in retreating back to the enemy ship while she resumed to look for Clockwork.

Clockwork was below deck helping the sailors who had been hurt by the incoming cannonballs. His temporal powers were mostly gone, but simple things like being able to reverse time on wounds, to make them like they had never happened, were still doable, yet took a lot of energy. When he wasn't doing that, he was making debris intangible so sailors could get out from under them. He looked around to make sure he had helped everybody when another cannonball came through their wall. The man threatened by Liz hadn't yet made it to his captain to give him Liz's message, so the shot had been fired unaware of the danger. A few men that he had helped were sprayed with wood shards from the boat. A few were killed while others were just badly wounded.

That would have caused him to sigh, but he was too busy looking at his arm where shards had slashed up his glove and watch bands on one arm leaving ragged tears in his skin. This pissed him off, but he didn't go after the ship. He knew Liz and Dan could handle it, so Clockwork went back to trying to help the wounded.

While all this was going on, the threatened man had finally got back to his captain with Liz's message. The man was shot in the face and the captain called out an order for his men to board the other ship. Kill anyone one who fought, capture those who didn't and take all items. Be it treasure, supplies, women, or food.

Liz would have been caught in another blast as the entire crew of the enemy ship began to board. Coughing, she phased out from under the broken mast that had trapped her for a few moments. Groaning, she placed a hand on her side and looked around. She didn't know how many men each side had lost thus far, but even she could see they were being overwhelmed. Cursing, she turned and made for Captain Johnson's cabin. Locking herself inside as she kept out of sight and put some pressure against her side. Hissing sharply. _Either bruised or broken...Damn it!_ Liz sighed and tilted her head back against the wall before moving to hide under the desk in the room. Long as she kept quiet and invisible, she might just stand a chance of remaining hidden.

She would hear a loud explosion outside. That was not the sound of a cannon. That was the sound of a plasma blast ripping all the way through a ship. What she couldn't hear though, was the fact that although the other ship was now sinking, most of it's crew and it's captain had already boarded Johnson's ship. There was a slaughter going on on board. Captain Johnson figured that sadly Liz had been killed with the other ship's destruction. He found what crew members he could get without causing a commotion and quickly escaped the ship. He couldn't help but keep looking back. He had to leave men behind to fight and cover their escape. If it was one thing he had always vowed, it was to never again become a slave to the Spanish. "I'm sorry I could not protect you, Elizabeth."


	6. Abandon Ship

**Chapter 5**

**Abandon Ship **

Dan saw the retreating long boat and growled. He would have gone after the cowardly bastard, but instead needed to check on Clockwork and Liz. Without them, he wouldn't be able to return home. He dove down intangibly into the ship and found Clockwork fighting off a few men that had gotten below deck. The time ghost had a deep slash across the side of his neck, but of course it wasn't something that was going to kill him. Instead he was blasting away at the men with what strength he had. Grumbling Dan finished them off and grabbed Clockwork around the waist, with Clockwork facing behind them, since Dan had been moving while grabbing, and went back up to the deck. He then started to look for Liz. He was starting for the Captain's cabin when a bullet tore through Clockwork's shoulder and then through Dan's.

The large ghost just looked at the man who had fired on them and released a ghostly wail, ripping the man apart and sending the remains overboard. Dan then continued into the cabin. "Liz! You had better be in here!" he yelled in irritation.

He would find her standing at the window with her arms folded over her chest. Head turned to watch Johnson's fleeing longboat shrinking into the distance. She had been startled by the loud explosions and had been drawn from hiding to try and figure out what it was from within the cabin when she saw the Captain escaping from the ship. Not that she blamed him, but she was hurt he'd just leave her and the others behind. Hearing Dan's yell, she looked back to him and noticed the wounds he and Clockwork bore. It wasn't anything that'd kill them but as soon as they could, she'd get them patched up. "We have to get out of here…"

"Thought you'd never come to your senses!" he exclaimed before flying over and grabbing her, then intangibly leaving the ship. He quickly headed in the direction the ship had been heading. Hopefully that meant land and though it wouldn't be the safest, it would still be better than being grabbed by the Spanish and their crew...


	7. A Moment of Bonding

**Chapter 6**

**A Moment of Bonding**

It took hours and dusk had fallen over them before they reached the port. Dan kept them invisible as he looked around for a safe abandoned building. Settling on one just at the edge of the port town, Dan took them in and set them on the floor. He then left again. Leaving Clockwork and Liz alone. Clockwork's energy had left him after the fights he had been in and before that the healing and phasing. His ecto flowing out though not at an alarming rate had still taken the rest of his energy, and he just laid on the floor to rest.

While Dan went off and did whatever it was he went off to do, Liz sadly sacrificed the bottom of her dress to make bandages for Clockwork. She bound the wounds tightly with the torn fabric strips and sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair before she got up and wondered about to get a look at their new surroundings. She was tempted to go off and try to find Captain Johnson. Show him she lived and maybe slap him for leaving them behind. Then again...maybe not. They were at a port now and that meant they could start to figure out how to get home to their own times.

It wasn't long that Dan returned with a large sack over his shoulder looking like a demented Santa Claus coming through the wall. He looked at Liz. "Sit down." he ordered as he set the sack down and began to rummage around in it. "Where are you hurt?" he asked.

"Wh-What? How the bleedin' hell did you even know?!" She asked stunned, not even aware that her body was doing as it was told. Taking a seat near Clockwork, Liz bit her bottom lip and stubbornly looked to the side as she lifted her dress enough to expose the injured side while keeping the rest of her modestly covered. "I got trapped under the mast when a cannonball broke it in half. I can't tell if I'm just bruised or if something is broken."

Dan nodded and pulled out some bandages. Apparently he had raided a doctor's office or something. "Can't do much for busted ribs but wrap them up." he muttered as he started to carefully wrap the bandages around her. He was careful not to touch her in a way she might find offensive and soon he had her bandaged up. He moved over to Clockwork and started to remove the pieces of Liz's bandages to see what he could do for the other ghost. "There's a bottle of alcohol over there in the bag. Grab it for me. I'll pour it over the wounds to clean them out." Dan instructed.

Liz muttered a soft thank you as she lowered her dress and brushed back the fallen strands of hair from her face. She watched him patch up Clockwork and couldn't help but wonder just why he was doing this. Being nice. _Had I been right about...Danny's good side still being in there?_ She thought before blinking as she got up and got him the bottle of alcohol. "If we're going to be here awhile, we're going to need to fit in." She said, handing him the bottle. "We'll need clothes, the currency, a place to stay. Anything that helps us to blend in." Liz told him, mentally shuddering at the idea of having to wear a corset. _Already I'm hoping to run into the Doctor. Better than a corset._

Dan looked at her, then his eyes grew wide with fake shock. "Elizabeth! Are you encouraging me to….._steal!?_" he exclaimed before letting out a deep rumbling laugh. He shook his head as he splashed alcohol on Clockwork's wounds causing the other ghost to gasp and squirm a little in pain.

Liz huffed, wincing a little as she did so. "Oh, shut up! What I'm doing is trusting you to get clothes for you and Clockwork and some money while I swipe my own womanly things." She grumbled. There was no way in hell she'd trust him to get her a dress, corset, and the slip she was to wear under the skirt and bustle of the dress. "Would you like to go and steal first or shall I go and find what I need while you baby sit Clockwork?"

"D…..don't need a babysitter. 'n fact…..just gimmie the stuff…...and I'll clean my own wounds…." Clockwork muttered from where he was on the floor. Dan chuckled at the older ghost. "Wow. Out of it you kinda slur your words." He set Clockwork up against a wall and held the alcohol bottle out to him. "Drink this. I'll see about finishing up with your wounds. Liz, go get your clothes. I don't even know what chicks wear in this time period. You'd end up with men's clothing." Dan said.

Nodding her head, Liz knelt down and lightly squeezed Clockwork's hand. "I'll try to not be long." She said, smiling a little before she got up and looked at Dan. "Behave...Keep out of trouble." She squeezed his shoulder and made off into town while invisible. It didn't take her long to find a closed store of gowns. Liz would pick out a blue bustle dress with a white button up shirt. Grabbing a blue parasol and some boots with stockings, she would grab a few jewelry pieces with a charcoal stick and a small thing of powder. Getting back to the abandoned building, she let either Dan or Clockwork go off to get men clothing while she found something to change behind in the building. Sadly, she needed help lacing the corset. "I could use a bit of help with my corset if anyone is feeling brave…"

When she had gotten back she had come into the awkward moment of Dan picking Clockwork up bridal style. He was just moving him over to a spot he had fixed with some old rags and a bedspread he had snatched from the next building over. He blinked at Liz and cleared his throat. "Don't tell him about this when he wakes up and I'll zip, button, velcro, or tie anything you want me to."

Liz chuckled and brushed her long hair over her shoulder as she kept the corset held up in place. "Not a word. Now come lace me up, please."

Dan nodded and laid the timekeeper on the makeshift palate before walking over and helping Liz. He laced up her corset and then stepped back. He was looking at Clockwork who was asleep, but with a deeply blushed face. "He drank too much while you were gone. He's….." he shook his head as he looked back at Liz. "You're all laced up." he said flatly before walking back over to check on Clockwork. "I didn't lace it too tight. Didn't want it to put too much pressure on your ribs."

Liz would blush brightly as she felt his cold touch against her skin. Biting her bottom lip to keep from making a noise, she let him lace her up. Even when he was done, she could still feel him behind her and she felt her heart race a little. Looking over her shoulder at him, she watched his blushing form walk back over to Clockwork while she cleared her throat and began to pin her hair up. "Th-Thank you…" She replied. Getting on the button up shirt and the underskirt with her stockings before slipping into the dress. Luckily for her, this dress buttoned in front and was something she could manage. After getting her boots on, she made sure her hair was in place and held tight to the parasol. "Don't laugh...I'm coming out now…" Liz murmured as she came out from behind where she had changed. Holding her hands and parasol in front of her like a proper lady.

"Nice." Dan said with a nod. He was sitting on the palate with Clockwork's head in his lap. He was also holding a new bottle of booze. Seemed he had stashed a few in the sack he'd brought in. He patted the palate beside him as if to tell her to come sit with him. Once she did, he'd hold the bottle out to her.

Liz would go and sit down beside him with her legs folded to the side. It took a bit of struggle, but she managed in the end. Taking the bottle with a thanks, she took a swig then shook her head in disgust. "Bleh...Uh...You can go steal now." She coughed. Handing him back the bottle and sticking out her tongue. "I'll stay here with him."

"Before I go, quick question. What are we going to do about our skin? No one's going to think a man with blue skin and one with greenish blue are going to blend in to well." Dan said as his hand unconsciously stroked through Clockwork's hair.

Liz watched him unconsciously stroke Clockwork's hair with an arched brow before shaking her head. "Uh...Glamour of some kind? I-I don't honestly know…" She sighed. Smoothing down her dress as she mentally pouted. Of course Dan would be like the one in her future when it came to a sexual preference. Not that she would call him out on it right now. "You and Clockwork don't exactly have human forms. You're made up of two different ghostly personalities and Clockwork is...Well, he's always been this way." Liz didn't like being at a loss of what to do. Out of the three of them, she was the only 'normal' looking one, and while this could prove to be useful, she didn't want to be wandering the streets of Victorian England on her own.

Dan sighed and closed his eyes to concentrate. He had taken on the form of his younger weaker self before. Maybe he could do that again, but alter it to make him look his current age. Slowly his flaming white hair started to go limp until it fell around his face like normal hair. A white ring appeared around his waist, then split. One going up and the other part going down. As the rings passed over his body, he changed. His pants turned to jeans that were now far too tight and his top turned into a tee shirt that ripped from the mass of muscle now trying to fit it. His hair turned black and when he opened his eyes they had turned a dark blue. He moved so he could let Clockwork's head go onto the floor, then stood up as his clothes ripped in protest.

"Gonna go get some clothes." he grumbled as he went invisible. She'd hear ripping and tearing before pants, t-shirt, underwear, socks, and shoes hit the floor. Then there was no other sound. Afterwhile Dan would reappear putting on clothes he had stolen. "Stuffy shit…." he grumbled. "Clockwork's a lost cause. He'll just have to travel with us invisibly."

He pulled his long black hair back and put it in a low ponytail, then went back over to sit with the two, putting Clockwork's head on his lap and reached out to pull Liz close to him so if she wanted she could lay her head on his shoulder. He didn't know why he was feeling like he wanted them so close, but he did. He decided to blame the booze even though he really hadn't drank all that much. He didn't usually like to sit and think. Mostly because his past would try and catch up to him at those times. His family and friends being killed, the scent of their burning flesh, the sounds of their screams before they were blown up. It all made him sick and enraged at the same time. Tonight though, those thoughts were far away and almost like shields, he was keeping Clockwork and Liz close. He couldn't deny, though he didn't know her in his time, she was a looker. Strong and kind of funny when she wasn't being a pain in the ass, she was nice to be around. Almost soothing. Sometimes when they were alone in the officer's quarters, just the three of them, he wished it could have stayed that way. It had been a nice change. He would never tell either of them this. He didn't want anyone to know. When he got back he had plans to return to his own time and continue his reign of terror. He couldn't get attached. It wasn't like he was already attached. He could leave them to rot if it wasn't for the bird. He nodded slightly. Yeah. He didn't really need them. They were just there to help him get home. That was it. He smirked a little as he thought of the mayhem he'd cause in his world, maybe in theirs too once he got back. All the while these thoughts played through his mind, he held Liz just a little closer and tighter as his fingers gripped Clockwork's hair a bit possessively. Sure. He didn't need anyone.


	8. Murder in Whitechapel

**Chapter 7**

**Murder in Whitechapel**

Liz was the first one awake the next morning. She couldn't remember snuggling up to Dan the night before, but she did remember how he had pulled her close while she had been lost in staring at him. She had to be honest and admit to herself that she wasn't exactly expecting him to take on a human form like her. She didn't think he could. He looked so much like Danny that her heart had nearly broken and beat out of her chest all at the same time because she knew that if he had survived the year to come, Dan is what Danny would have grown to look like. Muscles and all.

It had taken a while to calm her hot face down after waking up, but once she had, Liz had gently pulled herself free of the possessive hold Dan had on her. As she stood there, smoothing down her dress and fixing her hair, Liz observed the two before her. Dan was gripping Clockwork's hair in the same possessive nature he had been gripping onto her. Shaking her head, she would kneel down beside Dan and kiss his cheek. "I won't be long." She muttered before rising to her feet and leaving to gather some water and food.

A while after Liz had left, Clockwork began to stir a little. He felt a hand in his hair, and craned his neck to see who had him. He found a sleeping Dan and blinked in surprise. What was the other ghost doing holding on to him? He went intangible and moved away from Dan so he could better check his own wounds. They were all healed. Clockwork always had a quick healing rate, but didn't see it much since he didn't regularly have to fight. Seemed that they had been cleaned, that or someone had poured a bottle of liquor on him. He figured Liz had taken care of him and Dan and was now out looking for clothes for him and her. It seemed Dan had taken on a human look and already had clothing from this era.

Liz would return after some time with a bucket of water, borrowed linen, and some stolen bread and fruit. Seeing Clockwork up and about, she smiled relieved. "Hey. How are you feeling?" She would ask. Ripping some of the inen up to use a wash cloth. "Dan said you may have to travel with us while invisible since we're not sure you can really look...well, human." She said, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly while handing him the wet cloth. "Here. Figured you could wash up." Liz would motion to the healed wounds and the dried ecto blood.

"Oh. Thank you, Liz. I owe you for last night as well. You did a good job of cleaning the wounds. They healed fine." he spoke as he walked over undoing the gear broach to take off his cloak. He sat down next to her to undo all the watches around his boots so that he could pull the boots off, then got back up and started to undress, not seeming to know the etiquette for men and women undressing in the same room.

Dan had been watching quietly and with his eyes half closed figuring the other two would think he was still asleep when he saw what Clockwork was doing he jumped up. "No wait! Not in front of the girl are you fucking nuts!? Put your clothes back on!"

Clockwork looked at Dan blinking. "What are you going on about?"

"You can't do that shit in mixed company!" Dan didn't notice that his face had turned red. Clockwork did, but figured it was from anger. He sighed and picked up the items that Liz had brought and went into another room. Dan stood grumbling about timekeepers and their inability to pay attention to important things such as not undressing in front of women and other "common sense" things.

"Oh...It wasn't-**BLEEDIN' HELL!**" Liz turned a bright red and quickly covered her eyes as she turned away. Laughing a little as she heard Dan scolding him. "Clockwork, a man does not undress in front of a lady unless she is his wife or a whore." She said gently. Knowing it probably wasn't any better but at least she was explaining why Dan had been set off. On the bright side, at least now she knew she had to be from another dimension or time, seeing as how the Clockwork she knew wouldn't have done such a thing in front of his pupil.

"Fucker was probably born in a time when they all fuckin ran around naked." Dan grumbled as he started to pace. He needed to get out of this place quickly. He wasn't liking how he felt and he was going to need to blow something up. Or punch someone. Or strangle Clockwork. The last one sounded particularly nice.

"Wasn't born." Clockwork called back.

"Explains a lot." Dan called back to the older ghost. He then looked at Liz. "Sorry about that. Heh. Can't take the old fart no where."

Liz spread her fingers to peek through them at Dan with a small smile. "Eh-hehe. I-It's fine..First time leaving the tower and all….Understandable." She cleared her throat and turned her head away. "U-Uh...I'll uh...Just go wait outside." Lowering her head while keeping her eyes blocked, she turned and quickly hurried out of the building while Clockwork washed up.

Dan blinked in confusion. Why had she left the building when Clockwork had gone to another room? He shrugged and stood there waiting for them both to return. Gods he wished he was back home. After a while of pacing back and forth, Clockwork finally returned, cleaned up and fully dressed in the new clothes. He'd even taken on a human look with pale skin, short platinum blond hair and eyes the color of dry blood.

"Alright….better?" he asked. A slight blushed had crept over his face. The clothes he had managed to snag were old but probably quickly grabbed from the next building over. Dan hoped while invisible and intangible.

Dan looked him over and nodded. The clothes suited Clockwork and gave him a slight distinguished look. "Yeah….looks fine. Let's tell Liz she can come back in." He said turning to walk outside.

"Uh…...Daniel, Liz was about to say something earlier. Was she going to say that you were the one who tended my wounds?" Clockwork asked as he reached to grab hold of Dan's arm.

Dan shrugged and pulled his arm away. "Don't need a bunch of dead timekeepers around. I want to get back home after all." Dan muttered as he continued outside.

Liz would turn as the door opened. Arms previously folded over her chest would drop to her sides as she blushed and stared at Clockwork. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she just shook her head and blinked a bit. "U-Uh...You look...Amazing." She laughed, stunned. Clearing her throat, she folded her hands in front of her and quickly went back in to retrieve her parasol. Coming back out to them, she would open it and look between them. "We need a cover story...And by that I mean we have to play 'house'. Society will expect me to be married to one of you and the other might possibly be a relative of the other." Liz said. She would let them decide who wanted to play what role.

"Daniel looks more your age." Clockwork said, though he didn't look a whole lot older.

"Guess you could be an older brother." Dan muttered. He then grinned. He could not pass up this chance to mess with Liz. He looked at her as he moved closer and put an arm around her to dip her back. "Guess that makes me your husband. Do I get to kiss the bride?"

Liz blushed and placed a hand on his chest. She honestly didn't know what to say and she was so tempted to actually kiss him. Her poor heart was racing and she was sure he could hear it. "I-Uh...If you want?" She stuttered, blushing even more as she stared back at him.

Dan smirked and gave her an almost soul searing kiss that was very deep and very passionate. He pulled away and pulled her back to a standing position. Even Clockwork was blushing from that encounter.

Her eyes would go wide from the sudden kiss as her cheeks burned brightly. The hand on his chest, slid up to be around his neck as she gripped at his hair and kissed him back just as deeply and passionate. When he pulled away, she gasped and quickly let him go as her chest heaved much as it could with it's restriction. Running her tongue over her lips, savoring the taste, she would take his arm and look down at her feet. Her mind completely blank as she recovered from such an amazing kiss.

Clockwork, whose face had turned an interesting shade of purple, cleared his throat and stepped past the two. "We should get going. We know we're in the Victorian Era. We can find other useful information." he murmured as he continued on out of the ally they had ended up in.

"Victorian London, named so because of Queen Victoria. Which means we are roughly somewhere between…" She would turn her head to look around them. Examining the fashion of the people they passed to the fabrics and homes. "Late 1840's-1850's maybe. Her reign doesn't end till 1901."

"Yes which means that we know the when. Let's find the where." Clockwork said. He would come across a street sign. "Old Montague Street going North East." he said. A little ahead he heard a muffled squeal like someone had tried to scream and got a hand over their mouth. Someone was being dragged into an alleyway. He started to call for his two friends, but didn't want to waste time and headed down the alley to save the woman. It was dark outside, having slept quite a while that night and day had gotten them all a little jet lagged and time disoriented, so he almost didn't see the figures at the other end of the alley. He picked up a board and headed on down to the sounds of a struggle. Then some screams did fill the air as the victim was stabbed over and over.

Clockwork ran down the alley and swung the board to knock the man away from his victim. The man grunted and turned to slash at this new obstacle. Clockwork jumped back to avoid a nasty cut and swung the board again to knock the knife out of the man's hand. The weapon hit the wall with a clattering noise as it fell to the cobble stoned ground. Weaponless, then man jumped at Clockwork and the two men went down. The attacker sent a few well placed punches to Clockwork's face before the ghost planted a knee into the man's chest and flipped him off of him. This was a bad idea as Clockwork hadn't seen the man grab the board he had dropped when he had been tackled. Clockwork got into a kneeling position just as the board come down across the back of his head knocking him to the ground. As he laid there disoriented from a pretty hard hit, he could hear the footsteps of the attacker running away, leaving out the opposite end of the ally and on down Hanbury Street.

After having heard the screams, Liz and Dan would have gone towards the commotion just as the assailant was fleeing. Clockwork would hear a set of footsteps hurrying towards him. "Clockwork!" Liz would rush over to his side and drop down beside him. "Oh my goodness! What happened?!" She would asked concerned as Dan went over to inspect the other woman.

He was trying to contain the rage he felt at someone having wounded Clockwork. If anyone was going to knock the old fart around, it was going to be him. After he checked the woman and seen she was dead, he looked at the street the attacker had fled down and wondered just how long it'd take him to fly down that way and get the guy. Knock him around some. Grinning he took off quickly, going invisible to hide his speed. Sadly no matter how fast and how far he went, he didn't see the attacker. It didn't help that he hadn't gotten a good look at the guy. Dan even flew up to get a look of the city from above, but found nothing. This all pissed him off more than he wanted to admit. He quickly made his way back to Liz and Clockwork. While he had been gone, Clockwork had sat up groggily and explained what had happened to Liz. The two waited for Dan to return. When the other ghost made it back and became visible again, he looked very angry. He walked over to them and looked between them. "Nothing. Fucker got away." he growled.

Liz frowned and got up to squeeze his shoulder. "We'll find him, Daniel. Right now, we need to help Clockwork." She said gently, stepping back so Dan could help Clockwork. While the time ghost wasn't very heavy, it just would not have looked right for a woman to come out of an alley carrying an injured man. To many questions would have been asked while other woman scoffed and said such horrible things. Better to stick to the status quo and let Dan do it while she played the worried 'sister' chasing after her 'husband' who carried her injured 'brother.' God she missed psychic paper already.

Dan helped Clockwork up and had him put his arm around his shoulders. As the three come out of the alley, Clockwork started to murmured, "Jack the Ripper. That was Jack the Ripper. But….that was…..he was too early. That wasn't when it was suppose to happen. Something's changed."

"Stop babbling. Geeze." Dan grumbled as he made sure no one was paying them any attention. He didn't want to get framed for the woman in the alley's death and as soon as he could manage, he'd make them all invisible and head to another street.

"Ah. I changed it. He knew I was following. He wouldn't have killed her until he got further up Hanbury Street. That was Annie Chapman. It's his third victim." Clockwork murmured.

"You took a very hard hit to the back of the head would you shut the fuck up?" Dan hissed between his teeth.

"Green…."

"What?"

"I'm bleeding green ecto. That's unusual for people who are living. They may notice."

"Shit…."

While the two of them whispered back and forth to each other, Liz was actually mentally freaking out. It was easy to say she disliked Jack the Ripper and what she would do if she ever came face to face with someone who was long since dead. But now that she was actually there, in his time era...Liz felt frozen. If there was ever a time to admit that she was really, properly scared it was right then and there. Jack the Ripper was real, he was alive, and she was female being seen with two men. Women could gossip and interpretations could be made. If there was one thing she was a hundred percent sure of at this moment...she didn't want to be on these streets alone. Day or night. No. She would be damned if she was made a victim because she didn't want to use her powers and be exposed a witch or some nonsense. When she heard Clockwork mention the woman's name, she looked up at him. "Annie Chapman...She was his second victim. She was suppose to be found in the backyard of number 29 at 6am." She murmured. "I know when we are." Liz cleared her throat. "Gentlemen...It's September the 8th, 1888. The next two murders, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes occur on September 30th." And that wasn't exactly the worse part. Being a timekeeper, Liz knew it was dangerous to meddle with time. There would be nothing they could do to stop this, as the littlest things could change an event. Because of Clockwork's involvement with his attempt to save Annie, her body would now be found brutally stabbed in an alley way instead of someone's backyard.

"Got hit harder than I thought." Clockwork murmured. He could have sworn it was the third, but now that he thought about it, it was indeed Jack's second victim. Maybe he was getting too old for this. It seemed Liz was better up on this right now and he started contemplating retiring. "They say the memories the first to go." he murmured.

"Ok...TIME PEOPLE, SHUT UP!" Dan exclaimed exasperated. "You two are babbling about things that haven't happened and one of you is bleeding green. Let's get the fuck out of here before we draw attention."

Clockwork fell silent. He felt foolish for having forgotten something important. Maybe it was the hit to the head. His ears were still ringing and it felt like a jackhammer at the base of his skull. He looked at Liz and nodded to her. "Good work…." he murmured. Dan rolled his eyes and started for an inn close by. He had stolen some money off the dead body, and a few other passerbiers before they had gone to help Clockwork. Once to the inn, he paid for a room. One for him and his "wife" and another for his injured "brother in law." They got to their respective rooms and Dan tossed the key to theirs over to Liz before taking Clockwork into his room. He deposited the time keeper onto a bed and went to go get some rags to clean the gash to the back of his head.

Liz caught the key and nodded as she unlocked the door to the room she and Dan were to share. Going inside, she locked it behind her and just stood there for a few moments. In an attempt to forget what she had just seen and learnt, she touched her lips and blushed before shaking her head with a scoff. Placing the key down the front of her dress, Liz moved about the room to close all the blinds in the room before she went and sat down on the bed to wait for Dan.

Dan knocked on the door when he finally come back over. He had cleaned Clockwork's wound and got the other ghost into bed to rest for the night or what was left of it. It had taken him a few minute to get the green out of the back of Clockwork's shirt collar, but the shirt was now hanging on the doorknob to dry. "C'mon, Liz. I'm tired." he muttered as he waited at the door.

Liz got up and went to the door. Unlocking it, she opened it for him and closed it behind him. "How is he?" She would ask, locking the door as she turned to the bed. Now that she was thinking on it, she actually had no idea what she would wear to bed. _Guess I just sleep in the white button shirt and underwear…_ She would think, blushing a bit as she began to let her down.

"He'll be alright. Disoriented. Probably has a concussion, but being a ghost I don't see how that'll keep him from waking up in the morning." he said with a smirk. He then shook his head. "He knows better than fucking with time. He's _**THE**_ fucking Spirit of Time. I don't know what he was thinking." he muttered as he took off his jacket, then began to unbutton his shirt.

"We all make mistakes." She muttered. Looking away as he began to take off his shirt. Standing up, she moved behind the changing screen and began to undress. Hanging her dress over the curtain, she unbuttoned her shirt but left it on as she reached behind her and unlaced her corset with much struggle. Once the corset was off, she coughed and took a deep welcoming breath. She held the key tightly in her hand as she removed her stockings and corset. Hanging them up with her dress and leaving the shoes standing next to the changing screen. The last thing she took off was the underskirt. Liz hung it up with the rest of her clothes as she came out from behind the curtain while buttoning her shirt back up. "Sometimes...we can't help but to act on human nature. He heard a scream cut short and just acted. He wanted to save her. Anyone would have done it in our place."

"Should have let what was going to happen happen. We're not here to save anyone. We're here because of an accident and we have to find a way home." Dan said flatly. He then gestured to the bed. "You can have the bed. I'll take the floor." he said as he pulled his shoes off. He'd sleep in his pants. He didn't really care if they got wrinkled or not.

"Shut up and just get in bed. We're both grown ups and capable of being mature. Besides, husband, you try anything funny and I'll blast you." She said. Murmuring the last part while calling him by the social title in a teasing manner. Lifting her pillow, she placed the key underneath it and pulled down the sheet and blanket as she got under it.

He blinked a little as his face turned red. "I uh…...That's not really…...I mean if you…." he stammered over his words, then finally shut his mouth with an audible click before walking over and getting into the bed. "You try and spoon me or anything and _**you'll**_ be the one sleeping on the floor." he teased back.

"As I recall, it was you who pulled _me_ close to you the night before." Liz said, smirking. If he wanted to tease her, she'd tease him back easily. Keeping her back to him and pulled the bedding up over her chest as she brought her knees up towards her chest. Making herself comfortable, Liz closed her eyes and was ready to sleep.

Dan chuckled and lay with his back to her. He hated having to be in separate rooms from Clockwork. He wanted them all there in the same room so he could keep an eye on them. He stopped his breathing so he could hear everything around him. He could hear Liz, and he could hear doors opening and closing every now and then, but he didn't hear anything from Clockwork's room. While his companions would sleep well that night, he was awake waiting for the danger to come for them at any second.


	9. In Search of the Ripper

**Chapter 8**

**In Search of the Ripper**

Clockwork woke up the next morning still feeling a bit disoriented. He got out of bed and pulled his shirt, vest, and jacket back on before heading out of his room. He wanted to go back to where the murder had happened. He had messed up pretty big. If he had only been stopping the murder of some unknown woman by some unknown man, time would not have been altered as much. Altered a little, but nothing as big as what he had done. He had screwed up. These were not set points in time. They could be changed and though he was causing other time lines by his actions, he didn't want them to cause another bleak future like Dan's. Liz was looking at time in a linear kind of way. Similar to the observants. He knew how things could go and could create ripples in time and the river of time to split into several different streams. This stream he was on had him worried though. He wasn't sure what he had set into motion, but he'd find out soon enough. Once to the murder site, he started to investigate the spot. The victim had already been removed. He continued to look around until he spotted the knife he had knocked out of the attacker's hand. Somehow Scotland Yard or whoever had investigated had not spotted it. Picking it up, he looked it over, then put it in his pocket. He continued to look around, but found nothing and ended up returning to the inn. He would speak with Liz and see if maybe they could intercept the Ripper on his next attack. If they could warn or rescue the woman somehow. He stepped in front of Liz and Dan's door and knocked. With their chemistry, he wouldn't be surprised to find them fooling around in bed with one another.

Nuzzling into her pillow, she blinked her eyes open. Rubbing her eyes, she would sit up and yawn as she pushed the covers off her. Clearing her throat, she would run a hand through her hair. "Just a second!" She called. Getting up from the bed, she would grab her under skirt and slip it on before going to answer the door. "Oh! Clockwork, good morning. How are you feeling?" She would ask as she let him.

"Better. Good morning. I found the knife." he said holding the knife out to her. "I know it's no use to us really. We know where he'll attack next. Do you think we could intercept him?" Clockwork spoke all while still standing in the doorway.

"Get in the room to talk about time stuff!" Dan hissed as he sat up in bed. "For fucks sake the shit I have to put up from with these temporal types."

Looking over her shoulder at Dan, she rolled her eyes and gently ushered Clockwork inside while quickly looking up and down the hall. Locking the door, she would look at the knife and try to see what had been altered now that she had a possession. With a sigh, she handed him back the knife. "I can't tell." She said, folding her arms over her chest as she paced the room at the foot of the bed. "Before our interference, the established events of this time had been set. They had already happened. But like all things, time can be in flux. We changed something...something major." She would stop her pacing as she turned to face them "Tomorrow, two more murders occur. Or so say history says." Liz shrugged her shoulders as she lowered her arms to her side. "Anything can happen now." She would tell them as she went into the washroom to freshen up.

"Not tomorrow. The 30th. If we can find the women and try and protect them, we may can end his terror before too many more lives are lost." Clockwork said as he leaned against the closed door. Dan was grumbling as he got out of bed and began to get dressed.

"Old man, you're more trouble than you're worth. Where do we even start looking for these women?"

"32 Flower and Dean Street! She lives in a lodging house." Liz called from behind the screen, struggling to lace up her corset by herself. "Elizabeth has a rather...colorful background."

"Is that an admission?" Dan cracked.

Clockwork rolled his eyes and went to see if he could help Liz lace up her dress.

"Thank you." She smiled and continues on as if Dan had not interrupted her. "Elizabeth, or oddly enough Liz as she is called, will arrive at the lodgings house just after an argument she has with Michael Kidney, a waterside laborer. Mrs. Catherine Lane, one of the many women Elizabeth speaks with about Mr. Kidney, should also be there if my history is correct. If we can not find Elizabeth, I'm sure we can ask Mrs. Lane. She might know where to locate Liz."

"We know that she was probably murdered somewhere between 12:35 and 1:00 AM." Clockwork said as he finished lacing Liz up. "So do we start interacting with her now, or do we wait and follow her the night she is to be murdered?"

"No point in following her. She spends the afternoon of the tomorrow and the day of her death simply cleaning rooms at the lodging house. Besides," Liz turns her head to look at him over her shoulder, "I know her entire schedule for her death." That probably sounded less creepy and more useful in her head. Turning forward again, she reached up and pulled down her dress as he finished lacing up her corset. "On the night of the 30th, at 6:30 PM: Elizabeth Tanner, the landlady of sorts for the lodging house, sees her again at the Queen's Head Public House. They have a drink together and then walked back to the lodging house.

At 7:00-8:00 PM: She is seen leaving the lodging house by a Charles Preston and Miss Catherine Lane. She gives Mrs. Lane a large piece of green velvet and asks her to hold it for her until she returns. She ask Mr. Preston if she could borrow his clothes brush but he has mislaid it. She then leaves passing by a Thomas Bates, the watchman at the lodging house, who says she looked quite cheerful. Mrs. Lane will later state that she knew the deceased had 6d, whatever that is, when she left. Liz showed it to Lane, stating that the deputy had given it to her.

At 11:00 PM: Two laborers, J. Best and John Gardner were going into the Bricklayer's Arms Public House on Settles street, north of Commercial Road and almost opposite Berner Street. As they went in Elizabeth Stride was leaving with a short man with a dark mustache and sandy eyelashes. The man is described to be wearing a billycock hat, mourning suit and coat. Mr. Best says, "They had been served in the public house and went out when me and my friends came in. It was raining very fast and they did not appear willing to go out. He was hugging and kissing her, and as he seemed a respectably dressed man, we were rather astonished at the way he was going on at the woman." Mrs. Stride and 'her man' stood in the doorway for some time hugging and kissing. The workmen had tried to get the man to come in for a drink but he refused. They then called to Mrs. Stride, "That's Leather Apron getting 'round you." The man and Stride moved off towards Commercial Road and Berner Street.

At 11:45 PM: William Marshall, a laborer, sees her on Berner Street. He is standing in the doorway of 64 Berner Street on the west side of the street between Fairclough and Boyd Streets. He notices her talking to a man in a short black cutaway coat and sailor's hat outside number 63. They are kissing and carrying on. He said he heard the man say, "You would say anything but your prayers."

At 12:00 AM: Matthew Packer claims to sell Elizabeth Stride and a man grapes. This is a very dubious piece of evidence.

At 12:35 AM: Police Constable William Smith sees Elizabeth Stride with a young man on Berner Street opposite the International Working Men's Educational Club. The man is described as a 28 year old, dark coat, and hard deerstalker hat. He is said to be carrying a parcel approximately 6 inches high and 18 inches in length. The package is wrapped in newspaper.

At 12:45 AM, approximately: Israel Schwartz of 22 Helen Street, Backchurch Lane, stated that at this hour, turning into Berner Street from Commercial Road, and having gotten as far as the gateway where the murder was committed, he saw a man stop and speak to a woman, who was standing in the gateway. He tried to pull the woman into the street, but he turned her round and threw her down on the footway and the woman screamed three times, but not very loudly. On crossing to the opposite side of the street, he saw a second man lighting his pipe. The man who threw the woman down called out, apparently to the man on the opposite side of the road, "Lipski", and then Schwartz walked away, but finding that he was followed by the second man, he ran as far as the railway arch, but the man did not follow so far. Schwartz cannot say whether the two men were together or known to each other. Upon being taken to the mortuary Schwartz will identify the body as that of the woman he had seen."

"Nope. Not creepy at all that you know all that." Dan said nodding.

"Very good, Liz. I am impressed." Clockwork said nodding. "Then we will wait and approach her around 12:00. We may can then protect her."

"You have a lot of books back home. And I have nothing better to do when I'm stuck at the tower." Liz said, buttoning up her shirt before getting on her dress and stockings. Smoothing down her dress, she would come out from behind the screen as she began to pull her hair up into an elegant style. "At the time of her death, Elizabeth Stride will be wearing a long black cloth jacket, fur trimmed around the bottom with a red rose and white maiden hair fern pinned to it. It should be noted that she is not wearing the flowers when she leaves the lodging house. She'll have on a black skirt, black crepe bonnet, a checked neck scarf knotted on left side, a dark brown velveteen bodice, 2 light serge petticoats, 1 white chemise with white stockings, and Spring sided boots. In her possession will be 2 handkerchiefs, a thimble, and a piece of wool wound around a card. She'll be found clutching a packet of Cachous, a pill that smokers in this time use to sweeten their breath so really it's their version of a mint, in her hand."

"Why exactly did we know what she had in her pockets?" Dan asked. He then made a face. "Why exactly did _**you**_ know what she had in her pockets? Fuck I'm traveling with temporal creeper voyeurs."

"Because it's what is found on her and because I get bored a lot!" Liz growled. Folding her arms over her chest. "I'm just trying to help, and the more we know, the easier it will be trying to either save this woman at the right time, or at least find her before its too late."

"So we have a plan then. All we can do is wait." Clockwork spoke.

And so that's what they did. From September 8th, until September 30th, the three busied themselves exploring Victorian London. They learned quite a bit and saw many wondrous things that they would not have gotten to see first hand from the tower. They tried new foods, and tried different drinks. Dan got Clockwork drunk and laughed as the older ghost babbled endlessly about things no one really cared about. The next day during the hangover, Clockwork had sworn vengeance on the younger ghost. The two were getting closer, but they were also growing close to Liz. Dan had taken to pulling her close at night, holding her possessively and protectively against his chest. They had done small jobs and bought her nice dresses, and accessories. They knew they couldn't take them with them, but for the time being they could enjoy things. Dan had found a beautiful cameo necklace and got it for her. He knew that if nothing else, she would be able to take it with her through time. As the three enjoyed themselves, the time for the murder was getting closer and closer...


	10. You Win Some, You Lose Some

**Chapter 9**

**You Win Some, You Lose Some**

When the night of the 30th was upon them, they left the inn they were still staying in and started for the spot where the murder would happen.

"If we don't make it, she'll be found in Dutfield's Yard just off Berner Street at 1am." Liz told them. She walked between them but mostly kept close to Dan. As the weeks had passed, and he had taken to all but cuddling her at night, Liz had begun to enjoy being held by him. She tried to tell herself to not get attached but it was hard when he made her heart race. "In saving Elizabeth, we risk letting Catherine die. She'll be found in Mitre Square at 1:45am. But IF we succeed...we have forty-five minutes to find and save Catherine. I'd say we should split up, but that'd leave me alone and open for the taking."

"Which isn't happening." both men said at the same time.

Liz smiled and blushed as she hooked her arm through Dan's and took Clockwork's hand. Giving it a gentle squeeze. She had also grown close to the time ghost and had teased him about his hangover when Dan had gotten him drunk off Mead. When he had warned Dan that he would get even, Liz had teasingly said that she'd gladly help with the revenge. "Well then...let's go play hero."

The two nodded as Clockwork squeezed Liz's hand back. The three went to Dutfield's Yard just off Berner Street to wait. They were expecting to find the Ripper just a bit ahead of time.

"Stay here!" both men said to Liz as they run to go help the woman.

From where she was she could see their shadowy forms as they fought with the figure that had to be the ripper. Granted two on one was unfair, they wanted to catch this guy. Dan had the Ripper pressed up against a wayy with his fist back ready to deliver a knockout blow, when the Ripper suddenly went limp. Dan blinked at the man.

"Hey….." he shook the man a little and got nothing. He dropped him to the ground and checked for a pulse and found none.

"Daniel! I told you not to kill him!" Clockwork scolded.

"I didn't!" Dan growled.

Neither of them knew that the spirit had left the body. It had made it's way over to Liz and while she wasn't paying attention to anything but the fight, it entered her body and possessed her. Her mind was flooded with the ripper's memories. A lust for blood become almost the only thing she could think of. He, or rather now, she had her victims all picked out. Her next of course was the one Liz had mentioned. That would be her next goal.

Dan and Clockwork were walking back over to her leaving the two dead bodies where they were.

"Liz, you alright?" Dan asked.

When the spirit had entered her body, Liz's eyes went wide as her body tensed. It felt like she couldn't breath for a moment as both spirit and body were at an internal war within her. Dreadful memories filled her head as her pure pink heart felt tainted. Turned black with evil. A lust for blood filled her and burned her veins. As Dan and Clockwork came back over, her body relaxed as her eyes dulled, but not enough to tell that it wasn't her. Liz would smirk as she took his arm and Clockwork's hand once more while they began to make their way to the square. "Never better." She would grin. If these fools thought they could save Catherine Eddowes, then they had another thing coming. The spirit within could feel the power this body once had. The power it still had. The knowledge she possessed. It was eager to keep this body. And as it viewed her memories, its lust for blood, as it saw the scantily dressed women of the time the body belonged to, would rage.

Clockwork felt something was wrong. Something was completely off. Figuring it was because the Ripper had attacked the woman early and then had been killed. His temporal senses were probably just going a little crazy as they tried to adjust to the change. He squeezed Liz's hand and smiled. "Let's go back to the inn. With the Ripper dead, there is no reason for us to go look for the third victim." Clockwork said.

"Actually, I just wanna go make sure Mrs. Eddowes gets back to her lodgings okay. Dan can keep you company till I get back." She said as she broke off from them, slyly stealing her knife from Clockwork, and smiled. "I'll keep invisible and to the sky. Honest." Liz didn't let have a chance to respond before she took off. Doing just as she said. While it was true she was seeking out Mrs. Eddowes, she wasn't doing so to make sure the woman had gotten home okay. Oh no. The whore had to die. Such tainted women like her just could not be allowed to live.

When Liz found Catherine, she silently trailed her all the way to Mitre Square. She acted quickly. Placing a knife at the woman's throat and a hand over her mouth, Liz dragged her into the shadows. "Did you think you'd be allowed to survive after what you did?" Catherine was crying and struggling. Liz merely tightened her hold on the woman. Pressing the knife against her throat. "You whore...you dirty, little, slut!" Liz threw the woman onto the ground and straddled her waist. Keeping a hand over her mouth, Liz would grin. "I'm doing this city a favor. Cleaning the streets of London of trash like you." By now Catherine is hysterical. And though she can not be heard screaming, she did sob rather loudly. Liz was finding it irritating. "Shut up…" Catherine shook her head and just kept crying. "Shut up! I said shut up!" Without any hesitation, Liz slit the woman's throat and was sprayed with her blood. As Catherine laid dying, Liz sat atop her and watched as the life left the woman's eyes. Mentally screaming in agony and horror over what she had just done. When Catherine stopped moving, Liz mutilated her then left for the inn where she and the others were staying.

Clockwork hadn't liked her going off alone. He wanted to follow her, but with her invisible, it would have been hard to do. So he went back to the inn quietly. Dan noticed and tried to get him into a conversation to get his mind off of things.

"Hey, we did it! We changed time and saved lives tonight. Of course we had to end one…...after he'd ended one…..but besides that we kicked ass!" Dan exclaimed. He didn't notice how much he sounded like his old younger self which had Clockwork smiling a bit.

"I suppose we did." he murmured.

"Damn straight we did! C'mon, Clock! Let's celebrate! Grab a drink or two…."

"I am never drinking with you again." Clockwork spoke flatly.

Dan continued talking as if Clockwork had said nothing. "And when Liz gets back how bout we celebrate with some good food! She deserves a nice fancy meal! I think after we did what we did that we should be able to get back home. I just have that feeling."

"I don't." Clockwork murmured. He had a strange feeling they were going to be here a bit longer.

Dan stopped walking and took Clockwork by the shoulders. "Dammit, stop being so negative." he spoke. His face was dangerously close to Clockworks and the two looked at each other for a while before pulling away quickly.

"F-Food….right? Yes. Food would be good. Liz would like that. We will let her pick the place." Clockwork stammered as he looked off to the side.

"Yeah yeah…...What's taking her anyway?" he muttered.

Liz didn't even think it odd to find she was the only one in the room she shared with Dan. If anything, it was a blessing. Grabbing one of her dresses and petticoats, she headed into the washroom and got cleaned up. She washed her clothes and hung them out to dry while she slipped back into her underskirt and corset before slipping into her dress. The bodice of her dress had a square neckline and a turquoise vest inlay with 11 complementary copper buttons down the front. It's 3/4 length sleeves has cuffs trimmed with a turquoise band around the edges and a button while the hem of the side and back of the bodice also had the same turquoise band trim along the hem. Her underskirt is made entirely of turquoise taffeta back satin and the hem has been adorned with 6" knife pleat, trimmed with a black gimp. The skirt would close at the side with hooks and eyes. The brocade of the overskirt has ties at the back to adjust the bustle, closes with a hook and eyes, and has been trimmed with a 6 inch Venice lace along the entire hem. Getting on her stockings and boots, Liz would pin her hair up after putting on the petticoat. She would then go to wait outside the inn for Clockwork and Dan. Knowing that Catherine Eddowes body would have been found by now.

Clockwork and Dan would walk up surprised to see her.

"Whoa. That was fast." Dan said. He then raised a brow. "How'd you do that?"

"Why are you wearing a different dress?" Clockwork asked. Liz would have noticed his face had been blushed when he walked up.

"I got it dirty following Catherine. Tripped a few times over the hem of the skirt." She said as if it was no big deal while she teasingly grinned. "Have you been blushing!? You have, haven't you!" She laughed, placing her hands on her hips while looking to Dan. "I almost got caught when I kept tripping, so I high tailed it back here fast as I could." Liz said, shrugging. "Doesn't matter. She was almost back to her lodgings anyways."

"Thought you were going to fly." Dan said. He then chuckled. "Yes. He's been blushing."

"I-I…...We are going to get dinner anywhere you like." Clockwork said changing the subject quickly.

"Well, I was. But I wanted a better look at her dress. I thought she looked lovely tonight. Figured if I could keep a good mental picture, I could get some help back home in making one of a similar color or style." Liz said, before clapping her hands as she eagerly grabbed onto the two. "Smashing idea, gents! Let's go get supper! Dan's treating!"

"Heeey." Dan playfully complained.

Clockwork still had that off feeling, but for now said nothing as he went with Liz and Dan. Supper went nicely at a wonderful restaurant. Afterwards they would all start to head to the inn. As they walked, Clockwork looked at Liz. "Something's wrong. I feel it." he told her. "We've screwed something up horribly. I don't know what it is though."

The spirit turned its eyes towards Clockwork and blinked with some confusion. "It could be because Jack died too early in his timestrime…" She suggested, frowning just a little. "I know neither of you killed him, I was watching the whole time. Dan only had him pinned and then...it just looked like he went still for no reason." Liz shrugged her shoulders and gave a bit of a smile. "Try to not worry on it tonight. If the feeling is still there come morn, then we'll figure out what could be causing it."

Clockwork looked at her for a while, then nodded a bit reluctantly. "Ok." he said nodding.

They would get to the inn and go into their separate rooms. Dan would be pulling off his clothes down to his pants in the room he shared with Liz while Clockwork did nearly the same thing in his own room only stopping at his underwear.

Liz stripped down into her nightdress and sat down on the bed to let her down. She placed the pins that held it up over on the vanity and grabbed her brush before sitting down. Bringing her hair over her shoulder, she would begin to run her brush through it while the spirit tormented her from within of a constant mental video of the recent murder. Liz could still feel the blood on her hands and it horrified her from within. And it didn't seem to matter how loud she was screaming...Dan and Clockwork just couldn't hear her over the evil and stronger, much older, spirit possessing her. With her hair brushed out, Liz placed the brush down and braided her hair before laying down to sleep.

Dan laid down and wrapped an arm around her to pull her close. "You alright? You're being quiet." he said.

For a moment, the spirit tensed and froze up. It wasn't use to being held this way by a man! Liz took that small window to take control of her body. Turning over to face him, she reached up and placed a hand on his cheek as she smiled a little. "I'm okay...for now…" She didn't want to tell him. She had a window to tell him something evil was in her and had used her to kill someone...and she couldn't tell him. Why was that? Even the spirit had to wonder why she wasn't trying to get help. _Because I wont be seen as weak…_ She thought. Taking her hand away, she snuggled into him. Hiding her face in his chest as she closed her rather determined eyes. This body was hers, and she would be damned if she just gave up to something trying to take over.

His own face blushed as he watched her. He then tightened his hold around her. Something _**was**_ wrong. Clockwork was right. He could feel it now too and it was coming from Liz. An evil power. Something he could recognise similar to his own. He was slowly trying to put two and two together. While he did, he got out of bed and picked her up. He went intangible to go from their room into Clockwork's.

"Something is wrong. It's Liz." Dan said. "Something's not quite right. I feel something evil."

"The Ripper." Clockwork murmured as he sat up in bed. He was faster at putting two and two together. The Ripper had gone limp in Dan's hold. Basically died. Liz wanted to leave to go watch Catherine home, got back before they did and switched clothes. He didn't know how the Ripper was doing it, but somehow it's spirit had possessed Liz, who now laid asleep in Dan's arms.


	11. Fighting A Possession

**Chapter 10**

**Fighting A Possession**

Neither of the ghosts were aware that while she seemed to be sleeping rather peacefully in his arms, an internal struggle was fiercely raging within her. "_You are never going to win!"_ Liz mentally shouted at it. The spirit only laughed and folded its arms over its chest.

"**Just watch me, little girl…..if you weren't youthful and strong, I'd have ditched this body long after I used it."** Liz growled and launched at the spirit. Tackling it to the floor of whatever side of her brain it had control of. The spirit only laughed and kicked her off. "**Ha ha! Poor, poor pathetic Liz. Why are the good ones on the other bus or Timelord, eh!?"**

"_Leave them alone!"_ Liz snarled. Pouncing on the spirit, she would begin to punch it's face brutally. Causing her knuckles to physically bruise. "_Leave them alone!"_ The spirit growled as it grabbed one of her wrists. Rolling her off, the spirit wrapped its bony hands around her throat with a squeeze. Physically her throat would begin to develop bruising.

**"Listen here and listen well, girl. You want your friends safe, then I get to claim this body! After all...there's only room for one."**

"Ye-Yeah….And that'll be me!"

Clockwork and Dan watched as Liz's body started to develop strange bruising. Dan took her over to the bed and laid her on it then he and Clockwork sat on the bed one on either side of her.

"What do we do about this shit?" Dan grumbled.

"Well…..we could try a possession and see if we can not help to push the spirit out." Clockwork said.

Liz would manage to knee the spirit hard enough that the grip around her throat loosened. Gasping, she quickly pushed it off her and rolled to the side coughing and massaging her throat. Recovering from the attack, the spirit would growl and get back up. "**Bitch!"** It snarled. Liz would charge up her hand with an ectoblast.

"_Yeah, I know...Doesn't that just make you angry?"_ Liz grinned.

"**What are you doing? How are you doing that!?"** The spirit asked, or rather demanded. Liz would only grin as she kept the knowledge of her abilities hidden from it.

"_I've shown you only what I wanted. How to hide, how to fly…"_ Liz taunted. "_But the rest of my powers….you will never know!" _The ectoblast would be fired at the spirit possessing her. Hitting it square in the chest. The spirit would hiss and clutch at its chest as it stumbled from the force of the attack. Liz used that moment to grab the spirit in a tight hold and tried to force it from her body. Though the spirit recovered much more quickly than she thought it would and began to struggle against her hold. Eventually knocking her to ground. The spirit would keep her pinned down with a knee in her stomach as its hand phased into her chest. Making her scream and claw at its arm.

"**I may not be able to do to you what I do to those women, but I can still remove your heart."** The spirit laughed. "**After all...Looking at your memories, why should I continue to bother with you when there is a much more bloodthirsty being right beside you?"** It questioned. Squeezing her heart and causing her to cry out.

"D-Dan!"

Dan thought he heard something. He was about to phase into Liz, but Clockwork stopped him.

"You do not need to go in there. It would be too much evil and he could over take you or you him. The last thing we need is you rampaging. Wait here." Clockwork ordered before going intangible and phasing into Liz to possess her and try to drive the spirit out. Once inside, he saw the spirit and sent an ecto blast at the side of it's head.

"Back off." he said calmly.

Startled by the sudden attack, the spirit would lose its focus and fall off to the side. Liz would gasp and cough violently as she clutched at her chest. Curling up on herself as if a means to keep that from happening again, she moved her head to peer through strands of her hair at Clockwork. "_Cl-Clockwork…"_ She coughed. The spirit would growl as it held it's head. Moving it's hand away from the wound to see it stand with green blood.

"**Blood…. BLOOD!"** Liz's eyes went wide a little as she moved away from it as fast as she could. The spirit turned its sights onto Clockwork. Enraged that it was bleeding, as Liz's early attack to the chest had only left him signed, he pounces at the time ghost with an angered cry.

Clockwork swung out his arm to backhand the spirit away. "Yes. You bleed. We all do. This means you're not a permanent fixture on this plane. You can leave, and go to your final destination peacefully, or I can send you there." he said as he held out a hand and a scythe appeared in it. "Your time here is up."

"**No...No...NO!" **The spirit rubbed the side of its face. "**Never...Those women have to pay! They're trash!"** It growled. Jumping at him again. The spirit wanted to strangle the time ghost. This body was his and as far as it was concerned, the time ghost had no business being here. "**Every single one of them! Whores! Sluts!"** It roared.

"The fate of these woman are not for you to decide." Clockwork spoke as he swung his scythe so that the wide flat side of the blade would strike the Ripper across the face and send him rolling back.

While Ripper was disoriented from the attack, Liz would get up into a kneeling position with a heavy breath. Narrowing her eyes, she clenched her hands tightly into fists before lunging at him with a yell. Keeping him pinned down by an arm on his throat, Liz had begun to beat him. Punching him over and over and over. Before she could land her sixth punch, Ripper reach down at the arm pinning him and twist her wrist. Liz yelped but didn't remove her arm as she just pressed down harder. Trying to ignore the pain of her wrist possibly being broken or strained by this spirit. "_This….body...is...__**MINE!**_" Ripper laughed and twisted her wrist harder.

"**You're trying to choke a ghost, girl! It won't work!"** Ripper manages to push her arm off him. Pushing her off him, Liz holds her wrist and tries to assess the damage. This would have been okay to do if Ripper hadn't attacked her during this minor distraction. Keeping her pinned with a knee to her back, he placed both hands around her neck with a tight squeeze. Choking her again while she tried to get his hands off her.

This time the scythe went for his back. Aimed directly for where his black heart would be had he been in a body and if he had even ever had a heart.

Ripper went still for a moment as LIz gasped beneath his hold and coughed. With his hold loose, she pushed his hands away and groaned as the spirit fell limp on her. Phasing out from under him, she gasped for air a few times while rubbing her neck. Turning to look behind her, she would stare at the lifeless spirit before her. Closing her eyes with relief, Liz would place her hands on her knees. "_G-Get...Him...Out!"_ She coughs.

Clockwork nodded and grabbed the back of the other spirit's clothing and soon the two left her body. Clockwork watched as the spirit started to dissolve once out in the open air. It's body melting into a black icor all over the inn floor.

"I'm not cleaning that up." Dan said flatly.

Liz gave a weak laugh as she slowly opened her eyes with a violent cough. "You sound...Like a girl." She muttered softly. Voice hoarse from being choked and her coughing.

"And you sound like hell. Get some rest." Dan said as he stood up. "That looked like a hell of a fight."

"Indeed. Would you like us to leave so you can rest?" Clockwork asked.

Liz shook her head and reached out her hand with a hiss. Grabbing onto Dan's wrist as she just kept shaking her head. "N-No…" She coughs. Gasping a bit as she tried to swallow and clear her throat. "He made me...I don't want to be alone...I don't want to keep watching Catherine's life leave her eyes…"

Dan opened his mouth to tell her she was being a wuss. He had seen that same thing many times before. He had caused it to happen many many times and had enjoyed it. He closed his mouth though remembering that these two were not like him. After a few moments, he finally did say something, "Want me to move you back to the other room?"

Liz shook her head and just moved to the middle of the bed as she curled up. Leaving room for Dan and Clockwork to join her. "We're staying...together…" She wheezed. Looking at them both before looking away as she held her hand towards her chest for now.

The two ghost men looked at one another, then slowly got into the bed. Again one on either side of her. Dan moved close and wrapped an arm around her waist while Clockwork moved close and put his arm around her just above Dan's.

"This ok?" Dan asked.

Liz gave a smile laugh and placed a hand over both their arms. "You're acting like I'll be uncomfortable or get broken…" She teased weakly. She would look at them both before nodding her head. "You're fine...both of you are."

They both nodded a little and started to relax, though left their arms where they were.


	12. Clearing the Air

**Chapter 11**

**Clearing the Air**

_**WARNING WARNING WARNING! THIS CHAPTER IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC! LOTS OF FLUFF AND LEMON! IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 SKIP THIS CHAPTER! IF YOU ARE NOT INTO YAOI SKIP THIS CHAPTER! IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY READING "SMUT" SKIP THIS CHAPTER! READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!**_

The three laid there like that for a long while, listening to Liz's heart beat and her breathing getting into a more deep and restful rhythm. Dan lay wide awake. He felt tense. He had felt tense for a long time now, trying to relax when he could, but when it came to the two beside him. He looked Liz over admiring how she looked and how she felt. She was all softness and curves in the right places. He sighed and adverted his eyes away. If he kept thinking like that, he'd end up hurting her. She was tired and wounded from her ordeal. Normally he wouldn't have cared one bit about how a women felt before he did what he felt like doing, but Liz was different. Liz was important. He made a low growl as his eyes went to Clockwork in irritation. The other ghost man had his eyes closed and looked to be sleeping peacefully. Dan knew better, but dammit how dare the other ghost relax while he felt so tense. He made sure Liz was asleep before he grabbed Clockwork's arm that was just above his on on Liz's side. Clockwork gasped as his eyes opened, but Dan's other hand covered his mouth. He made them intangible and drug the other man through the bed and then to the next room.

"What in the hell are you doing?" Clockwork growled out. He found himself with his back to the wall that separated the two rooms.

"Shut up." Dan growled back before pressing himself against the other ghost.

Their faces were close and Clockwork ended up turning his away. Dan only took that as an invite. His sharp fangs scraping the side of Clockwork's neck and causing the time ghost to gasp. Clockwork put his hand on Dan's chest and tried to push the other ghost away. Growling again, Dan grabbed the wrist of that hand and pulled it roughly over Clockwork's head. Alarmed, Clockwork tried to use his other arm, this time gathering a little ecto to try and push Dan away from him. Dan was fast though and grabbed that wrist and pushed it over Clockwork's head, pinning both arms against the wall and over Clockwork's head.

"D-Dan, stop. What are you doing?" Clockwork asked.

He moaned as those fangs raked across his neck again. Soon that raking was replaced by sucking. Dan pulled his mouth away from the other man's skin and slowly licked his way up to Clockwork's ear.

"I'm not going to hurt you…...much…..relax." he murmured before nipping at Clockwork's ear.

"We….we….really should not…." Clockwork began.

"No….we probably shouldn't, but we are." and with that Dan claimed Clockwork's lips fiercely.

Dan released Clockwork's wrists to see if the other man was going to continue and tried to fight, but instead, Clockwork dropped them around Dan's shoulders as he returned the kiss. Happy to see the older ghost complying instead of fighting, Dan grinned and put his hands on Clockwork's hips to bring them hard against his own. He ground into the other man, letting him see his frustration from all the tension. This caused a bit of a deep throated moan from Clockwork before the two men pulled apart again. Dan grabbed the collar of Clockwork's shirt and started dragging him over to the bed. Once there Dan pushed Clockwork back onto the bed and looked down at him for a moment as he changed into his true form. He watched as the other ghost followed suit, then Dan reached down and started ripping Clockwork's clothes off.

"Dan, that was a perfectly good shirt." Clockwork almost pouted.

"I'll buy you another." Dan muttered as he rolled his eyes, then started pulling off the rest of Clockwork's clothes.

Soon the time ghost was completely naked on the bed before the formerly evil ghost. Dan looked down at the body on the bed appraisingly before moving over it. His hand grabbed a hip and pulled the other man closer to him, then the hand traveled up feather light across his sides and up to his ribs. His hand brushed glass causing Clockwork to moan. Dan smirked at this new information and continued his exploration up to grab a nipple and pinch it until it was hard causing gasps and moan from the man under him. Dan followed the trail he had traveled with his hand, this time using his long forked tongue. The tongue going over the glass caused the older ghost to shiver and Dan chuckled. He continued up to the tightened bud of a nipple and flicked his tongue across it causing Clockwork to squirm under him. He nipped at the nipple, then sucked on it teasingly before moving up to Clockwork's neck. Once at the side of his neck, he bit down hard enough to draw blood, the licked the liquid up with a moan. Clockwork had managed a grunt and was moving as if to try and pull away, but Dan pressed his body down on the other to hold him still.

He started to run his tongue back down the opposite side of the neck he had bitten. Following a parallel path down the way he'd come up, he got to the opposite nipple and bit at it causing a sound like a strangled cry from Clockwork. Dan was loving the fact he could make the other ghost that was normally always calm react in such a manner and losing his cool. He continued down back over the glass and down past the stomach on to the pelvis. Dan reached down and gave Clockwork's cock a few strokes, causing the older ghost to moan loudly and his back to arch. He put an arm across his face as if that could hide the emotions Dan was pulling out of him. Moans filled the room as Dan kept up his stroking, from base to head and back down again. Long and slow.

Clockwork grabbed the bedspread under him with his free hand. Damn this man who was doing things no one had ever dared. He jumped and moaned as he felt Dan's tongue on his cock. His eyes went wide and he dropped his arm from his face to look down at the younger ghost.

"You can't do that, that's horribly….NNG!" he didn't finish as Dan took Clockwork's shaft into his mouth. His snake like tongue wrapping around it.

Clockwork moaned and bucked his hips as he let his head fall back to the bed. He panted as the two become still as if Dan was giving the older ghost time to get use to the feeling. He then began to bob his head. His tongue and his lips squeezing the member as they went up and down it. Clockwork writhed and moaned, bucking his hips every now and then to hit the back of Dan's throat. After a few moments of this, Dan released Clockwork's member with a popping noise from the suction. A little bit of saliva clinging to his bottom lip and the cock he'd had in his mouth. He started to lick from the base up to the shaft getting the string of saliva as he did. He got back up to the head of the cock and run his tongue over the slit causing a small cry from Clockwork. Pre cum started to appear in small pearls before rolling down the cock. Dan began to stroke the cock again with his hand, catching the liquid as he did. He pulled his hand away and rubbed the precum on two of his fingers before the moving his hand to Clockwork's rear. He took the cock back in his mouth distractingly sucking harder and faster before starting to probe Clockwork's opening. Rubbing the two fingers around the little ring of muscle to try and lub the outside, then pushing the two fingers in to lube the entrance all the way. Clockwork cried out and tried to pull away. "Wha….what are you doing?! St...stop!"

"Relax or it's going to hurt a lot more than is necessary." Dan said as he continued to probe the other man. He started to scissor his fingers to try and stretch the opening a bit causing Cockwork to cry out. "Relax...relax…" Dan murmured as he licked the hardened shaft of the other man.

Clockwork panted, his chest heaving, if he'd had a pulse, it would have been racing, instead his normal steady ticking started going erratic. Dan chuckled as he watched the other man, then curled his fingers inside Clockwork to stroke a bundle of nerves there. Clockwork moaned and bucked his hips unconsciously. Dan allowed the thrusting and took the man's cock as far back into his throat as he could manage without it being uncomfortable. All the while he continued to stroke the bundle of nerves inside.

"D-Dan…..I…...emmmm…." Clockwork moaned as he looked at the other man from one eye. as the other eye was clinched shut.

"Not just yet." Dan purred after pulling his mouth off Clockwork's shaft. He gave the nerves one more stroke, then pulled his fingers free causing the other man to whimper.

Dan pulled his clothes off slowly letting Clockwork watch as the other man lay squirming. He'd been so close to release, he didn't know why Dan had to stop. He moaned and reached his hand down for his member, but his hand got smacked by Dan's belt. Clockwork yelped and pulled his hand back, shaking it. Dan chuckled and threw the belt to the floor where it was soon joined by the rest of his clothes. He crawled back onto the bed and grabbed Clockwork's legs to pull them apart. He then lifted them up by the ankles and slowly probed the older ghost's entrance with his member. Clockwork squirmed and tried to move away. That was quite a bit bigger than the fingers that had been inside of him.

"Daniel….." Clockwork moaned.

"Hold on." Dan said as he started to press into Clockwork.

He slowly worked the head of his cock into the other man causing Clockwork to let out a small cry.

"Relax. Don't tense up." Dan advised before pushing further in. Inch by painfully slow inch, he thrust his way into Clockwork causing the time ghost to moan and grunt until Dan had hilted himself with a final thrust. The two stayed like that panting. Dan moaned at the feel of the other man squeezing tightly around him. Clockwork was in shock at just how far he had been stretched and how good that feeling was. Dan leaned forwards to capture Clockwork's mouth in a searingly passionate kiss before pulling back.

"Hold on." he repeated before he pulled out causing Clockwork to groan.

Dan then slammed back into him causing both mean to cry out. He'd hilted himself and hit Clockwork's prostate or whatever was there that would have acted like one in the ghost. Dan grinned as he saw the other man writhing again and slowly pulled out. He made a couple of thrusts just barely entering back into Clockwork before thrusting all the way in again fast and hard.

"AGH! FUCK!" Clockwork exclaimed.

"If you insist." Dan purred and from there on, he started fast and hard thrusts.

This turned into a brutal kind of fucking. Hard fast, with only his own pleasure in mind, and he was definitely getting off on the man beneath him writhing and crying out. He leaned down and bit one of Clockwork's nipples, then sucked on it until it was hard and perking up. He then lapped at it with his tongue teasingly leaving the small bud sore. He then moved to repeat this on the other one. All the while he continued his hard fast thrusting. He moved up to Clockwork's neck biting and drawing more blood. He'd then sucked at the wound. Soon after he'd tasted everything he could of the other ghost he started thrusting even harder until he cum hard. Rope after rope was shot deep into the other ghost before he shuddered and pulled out. He stepped back and looked at Clockwork who lay panting. His own member still painfully hard. Nipples hard and bruised, neck bruised and bleeding.

"What a sight." Dan purred out.

Clockwork moaned and started to sit up, but Dan placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back down. He moved to push himself back into Clockwork, but the other ghost tried to move away.

"Yo….you know with me being older….perhaps I should be on….on top." Clockwork murmured.

"Hm….You're right. That was rude of me. I should let you be on top." he said as he teased Clockwork's entrance with his hardening member. Dan smiled once he thought he was hard enough and thrust deep into Clockwork, then got onto the bed and rolled so that Clockwork was straddling Dan, his cock deep inside Clockwork now hitting other nerves at this new angle and making Clockwork cry out again.

"There. Now you're on top."

"Nng...mmmm…...You're an ass hole….." Clockwork murmured out.

"This is the most I've heard you curse. You should do it more often." Dan said before thrusting up and bouncing his rider.

Clockwork gasped and moaned shaking his head as he closed his eyes.

"Hm? What?" Dan asked before thrusting up again to do the same thing.

"Agh…." Clockwork shook his head again unable to think of anything to say. His mind had gone blank.

Dan chuckled and reached to grab hold of Clockwork's member and stroke it again. With each thrust into his rider and each stroke, he watched the other ghost's reaction and grew harder. He took his hand off Clockwork's member then grabbed the other man's hips hard so he could slam harder up into him nearly throwing Clockwork forwards and causing him to gasp and moan loudly. Dan did this a couple of more times before moving one hand back down to Clockwork's cock and stroking it. His thumb rubbing the head of it rubbing over the slit again and again. Clockwork moaned and squirmed causing his hips to rock and Dan's member to be squeezed and pushed around inside of him hitting nerves and places that made him cry out wantonly. Clockwork started to ride Dan then faster. His hips thrusting, as his head lulled back some. He was panting with each thrust and with each time he was bounced by Dan's own thrusting. Soon he leaned forwards, placing his hand on Dan's chest as he ground down against him some and thrust downwards. This was making them have less contact really but it still felt good. After doing this a few moments, Dan grabbed Clockwork's hips again and snatched him back down all the way and grabbed the man's cock to try and finish him off when he himself finished. The two men writhed and thrust, moaning and panting, feeling the edge coming quickly. Not able to take it anymore, Dan rolled them again, then pulled out to position Clockwork on his hands and knees. He then thrust into Clockwork as he reached around and pumped his cock with the same rhythm until both men came hard with cries of pure ecstasy. The bed under Clockwork was soaked with his cum and matters wasn't helped much as Dan pulled free and cum leaked from the older ghost. The two ended up in a heap on the soaked bed panting.

"Hm….wonder if we woke Liz." Dan murmured after a while.

Clockwork was in too much shock over what had just happened to give an answer.

From over in the next room, said woman released one of the pillows from her mouth. Panting heavily, she laid there awake and flushed with heat. Eyes wide in shock as she stared up at the ceiling. _What the hell just happened?_ She thought. Sitting up in the bed, she held the blanket and sheet over her now naked form. Her night dress having got too uncomfortable and restricting. And as she sat there, Liz actually wondered just how she was going to handle facing them in the morn. But for now, the real question was, just how fast could she get washed up and dressed before they came back?

She wouldn't have time as Dan and Clockwork come back into the room via the wall. Dan's clothes had been undamaged and he had been able to pull them on, but Clockwork's have been ripped to shreds. Figuring Liz was still asleep, they had come in so Clockwork could get dressed. So no he stood in front of Liz. Naked, bruised, and bleeding just a tad from puncture wounds in his neck. The punctures were hard to see because of the bruise, or rather hickey there. He saw Liz and his face turned even more purple than it had already been.

Liz would have yelped and pulled her knees to her chest as she ducked her head behind her hands. Her face turned red as she closed her eyes tightly. Well this was terribly embarrassing. Her heart raced quickly within her chest and she didn't know whether to laugh at the awkwardness of it all, or at her own embarrassment. What she did know for certain, was that she wanted nothing more than to go invisible and get her clothes back on.

Dan looked at her, then smirked knowingly. Mercifully, he said noting and just shoved Clockwork towards the closet. "Might want to get some clothes on."

Clockwork moved to the closet and pulled out some clothes and quickly retreated back into the other room to pull the clothes on. Dan chuckled and turned his back so that he faced the wall and away from Liz. "Go ahead. I wont look."

Liz was grateful for his mercy and quickly got dressed once she jumped out of bed. With her panties and night dress back on, she pulled her hair into her face as she sat back and hugged a pillow to her chest. Hiding her still blushing face behind it. "I'm modest…." She murmured behind her pillow.

"Yeah?" he asked with a laugh. "I'm not. I just fucked your mentor's brains out."

He turned around and raised a brow at her. "Do you want us to let you have the bed to yourself tonight, or…"

Liz blushed harder as she gripped onto her pillow even tighter. Squirming just slightly. "You can sleep beside each other but if you start doing it again, I'll move to the other room." Came her murmured and slightly unsure answer. She still didn't want to be alone, but she wasn't so sure she wanted to be in the same bed as them after what just happened. Much less the same room.

Dan shrugged. "He can sleep over there. I can sleep in here or vice versa." He said as he leaned against the wall. Was she pissed off? He figured she would be, but he hadn't been willing to hurt her. Not that he cared of course. He could stay in the room with her and lean against the wall the rest of the night.

Liz would glance up at him from behind her pillow. "Whichever you two decide…" She said. Biting her bottom lip as she brushed her hair from her face and awkwardly sat on the bed with the pillow now in her lap. She was still blushing but at least her heart rate seemed to be slowing down to a normal pace. Liz would keep glancing up at him as if waiting for him to tease her or say something. "You...You can come sit down on the bed ya know? I'm sure it's more comfortable than the wall."

Dan shrugged and walked over to sit on the bed. This was a bit more awkward than he thought it would be and he mentally cursed himself for his timing. Maybe he should have waited until they were home. He could have screwed Clockwork and been on his way. Maybe even have screwed Liz too after the pent up tension had been spent. He just sat on the bed and watched the wall waiting to see if Clockwork would return. After about fifteen minutes, he shrugged. The old ghost wasn't going to come back tonight. He was probably still trying to gather his wits and doing it in the now quiet other room.

That whole time, Liz sat there quietly staring at the pillow as the heat faded from her cheeks. When she felt somewhat normal, she looked at him and lightly hit him with her pillow.

"Ow!" he said as he looked at her. The "ow" was more surprise than pain.

"You don't...really have to stay with me. I-Id understand if you wanted to go help him sort out what just happened." She gave a small laugh as she shook her head. "He's probably gone into shock or something…" Liz smiled a little as she looked up at him. "Really though…" She reached over and touched his arm. "I honestly don't mind. Just...take care of him when we all get back to our own times?"

Dan shook his head. "I'm a selfish bastard. Just suffice it to say I want my cake and I'll eat it too. He's a spirit that's been around since the beginning of time. He'll be fine by himself."

Dan moved to lay on the bed, stretching a bit as he did, then placing his hands behind his head. "No one needs me watching over them. I'm not a hero. What I did tonight would have been rape had it been someone else. Clock was willing. He is in shock of the actions, and he probably is over there trying to process it all, but it's not something I did to him. It's something we did together. Fuck I'm rambling. What I'm trying to say is it's not like I'm wanting to pick out curtains for the tower. You know? We're not in a relationship. More like a mutual agreement of needing to get rid of the tension we'd been feeling for a while. Even if it was me who instigated it."

Liz just sat there and listened without ever interrupting. She couldn't help but smile and think 'not yet' when he mentioned not being the hero type. Everybody could change. Anyone could go from being evil to good, and from good to bad. Things like that were always in flux. She knew, even without her temporal powers, that because of tonight Dan and Clockwork's futures had changed. When Dan laid down and eventually complained about rambling, she laughed a little but continued to listen until he had finished. She then laid down beside him with a shrug as if to say, 'whatever you say'.

He turned on his side and looked at her. "Maybe one day, you'll come to me willingly. With you…...now that I'm not so….tense….I think I could be gentle." He smiled at her little. Actually not smirking, but smiling. He then shrugged his shoulders and rolled so his back was to her. "G'night."

Liz was stunned by his smile. He was actually smiling. A real smile! And not just any smile, but Danny's smile. The smile he had always given them. Her eyes watered a little from the familiarity of it. Laughing just slightly, she watched him turn his back to her before doing the same as she hugged a pillow to her and bit down on the inside of her cheek for a moment. "Yeah...someday…" She choked out quietly before turning her face away into her pillow that night.


	13. Ghosts of The Wild West

**Chapter 12**

**Ghosts of The Wild West**

The next morning, she would find herself being held close against his chest with his arms around her possessively once more. Liz would just lay there taking in his features and how peaceful he looked. She lightly ran her hand through his hair then rested it on his chest. "_Suppose we have to find a way home today, eh?"_ She whispered so he wouldn't hear her and wake up. Liz didn't feel like moving until he woke up. She just wanted to enjoy this long as she could because she knew that when she returned home, it would mean returning to a lonely existence. After a while of laying there awake and just watching Dan sleep, Liz would yawn as her eyes would open and close a few times before she drifted back off to sleep. Figuring Dan would wake her when he woke.

The next time she woke she would find herself laying exactly how they had been, but now in a large haystack inside a barn.

The sound of a rooster crowing would stir Liz from her slumber. Groaning softly, she blinked her eyes open and stared up at Dan before closing her eyes again as she snuggled in closer. The bed felt different and far less comfortable than before. She shifted a few times to try and get comfortable. The rooster would crow again and Liz's eyes snap open as she quickly sat up. Her hands would lift as they felt something grainy beneath her. Looking down, she would blink confused. Hay? "Wait a moment…" Liz rubbed her eyes. _Hay? A rooster?_ Phasing out of Dan's hold, she would get up from the hay and to her feet. Pulling it out of her hair and brushing it off her night dress, she looked up above and around her. "A barn!?" _How the hell did we get to a barn?_ She thought as she walked over to the barn door. Sliding it open, she shielded her eyes from the sudden intrusion of sunlight and stared out onto the farmland before her. "You have got to be kidding…." Liz would walk out of the barn to try and get a better sense of just where in time they seemed to be now. But from her distance, she couldn't really tell. She could, however, see wagons, horses, the typical farm animals, tilled earth where she suspected crops were growing.

Looking back behind her for a moment, she bit her bottom lip and walked on. Turning invisible as went to try and find some clothes. Clothes were helpful in telling the time era. Liz would eventually come to what looked to be a clothesline that had dresses, skirts, blouses, mens shirts and pants hanging out to dry. She looked up towards the sun then back at the clothes. _Must be about noon…_ Quickly glancing around, Liz snatched a white blouse that had sleeves that buttoned around her wrists, a long white under skirt, a long blue skirt that hooked in back, a pair of pants and a shirt for Dan. She could see a home resting a few paces from the clotheslines and dared to venture inside where she snatched a corset and shoes for both her and Dan before quickly fleeing to the barn

Dan was finally waking up and seeing that they were now in a barn. He didn't see Liz or Clockwork and began to panic as he got to his feet."Liz! Clock! Where are you?!" He exclaimed. He didn't want to be alone again. He didn't want the memories coming back to wake that dark madness inside.

"Shuush! You'll get us caught!" Her voice calls from around a barn stall as clothes and boots are suddenly thrown into his face. "Something happened while we slept. Get dressed and we'll go look for-Clock? Seriously? That's the pet name you're going with here?" Liz shook her head and finished tucking her shirt into her skirt as she tied up her shoes and stepped out as she began to pin her hair up. "Nevermind. Get dressed. We need to find Clockwork before someone else does." She said, motioning to the fact he was still in his true form. Liz highly doubted that Clockwork had shifted back to a human form last night either.

Dan blinked as the clothes fell into his arms after hitting him in the face. He glared at her, then quickly got dressed.

Liz smoothed down her skirt as he glared at her. She kept her back to him as he got dressed, but she would look over her shoulder at him for a moment. "I'm sorry...that absence scared you for a moment. Next time I'll wake you." She smiled and looked forward again to finish letting him get dressed.

Dan scoffed. "Scared? I wasn't scared. It's just without you two I can't get home and this bird won't unseal my powers all the way." He was not going to admit his true fears or the fact that he wanted them both by his side. He quickly got dressed and changed to his human form.

Liz just smiled but said nothing further. When he was dressed, she peeked outside to make sure that they hadn't been heard with his shouting. "When I was out earlier, I didn't see any signs of Clockwork." With the coast clear, she closed the barn door and looked at him. "I have no idea where to start looking…"

Dan shrugged. "Neither do I." he murmured. They needed to start looking though and quickly.

Liz frowned and opened the barn door again. Stepping out first, she looked behind her to Dan and would then close the door behind them as she looked out over the land. "Well...we better get looking. He was in the room beside ours, so he's gotta be here somewhere. Right?" She looked over to him worried. Her mind trying to not run the possibility of it being just the two of them stuck in the new era. _Though that wouldn't necessarily be so bad...if we had a way to get back to Clockwork!_ She thought worried. "Guess we should split up. I could head into town and see if there's talk of anything out of the normal…"

Just as the last word come out of her mouth, she'd hear talking from behind the barn. It was at an angle she wouldn't have seen when she left the first time to grab clothing. Going around to the back of the barn, she and Dan would find Clockwork talking to a Native American man in the man's language. The man seemed very respectful of Clockwork and would nod every now and then. He then held his hand out to help Clockwork stand. The ghost had been sitting crosslegged on the ground for the duration of the conversation. He nodded to the Native American man and patted him on the back and watched as the other man retreated into the surrounding trees.

Clockwork then turned to see Liz and Dan and smiled. "There you are. I was afraid I was alone here."

Liz smiled with relief and ran over to hug him. "I was worried we weren't going to find you!" She said as she pulled back and looked him over before looking off after the Native American. "Who were you talking to? I didn't understand a word of what was said…"

Clockwork hugged Liz back, then smiled as she pulled away to look at him. "A raiding party scout. They were going to raid this little home. They aren't doing it just to be raiding. They were a tribe forced off their land. They were out of food and were going to raid this farm for its cattle and whatever else they could fine. I think finding a blue skinned person sleeping behind a barn startled him. He walked over to investigate and woke me up. We had a conversation and I convinced him that it would be a terrible idea to raid this place because it was protected by three spirits of time." with a chuckle and a wink. "I know we haven't been doing much better in stealing things in the times we visit, but this could have turned deadly for both sides. I told him if he returned to his village, tonight there would be much bounty…...I think we're going to have to raid a country store. At least we can do it by ghostly means so no one is hurt." Clockwork said rubbing the back of his neck.

She laughed a little and folded her hands in front of her. "We'd have to steal food sometime today anyways, just to eat and then currency just to stop stealing." Liz admitted. It wasn't any better, but Clockwork was right. At least with them doing it, no one would get hurt. "Well...now that we're all together, lets get you some clothes and go scout out town so we know what to hit later tonight."

Clockwork nodded and went invisible so he could find some clothing without startling anyone. Once he found some, he changed in the barn. He walked out rolling up a sleeve. His appearance had gone back to a human one and he was ready to go to the nearest town. Dan had been quiet the whole time. Mostly sulking. He was surrounded by do gooders and they wanted to feed a whole damn village. Normally he'd have voiced this, but he decided to blame it on being around the two so long that he didn't have the heart to tell them they were probably going to get into trouble again. Through this whole ordeal he'd felt like a baby sitter to the two.

"Let's go then. We might have to fly to get there before dark, so we'll do it invisibly." Dan said.

"Or we can take a horse or two…." She muttered. Shrugging her shoulders. Either way of travel was good with her.

He raised a brow. "Ok….here's what's wrong with that. First. Never rode a horse. Not starting now. Second…...evil spirit here! I'd spook a horse before it'd let me touch it. Trust me, flying is the only way to go." he said irritatedly. He then stopped as a thought occurred to him. "You can't fly, can you?" he asked grinning. He would walk over and pick her up bridal style. He then moved his mouth close to her ear. "I'd carry you if you'd like me to." he murmured. His breath caressing her ear.

"You try flying in a dress in or a skir-Aah!" She gasps and freezes as her eyes go wide. Her breath hitches as her heart races. Feeling his breath caress her ear, she'd shiver and blush brightly before hiding her face away in his shoulder as she held onto him. "Just. This. Once." She murmured against him.

He chuckled and took off with her towards the nearest town with Clockwork close behind. Once on the outskirts, they landed and then went back visible to enter the town.

"We need to find the bank, and the grocery." Clockwork said as they walked around. The people of the town eyed them wearily, not used to newcomers. "We should have done as Liz said. We look very suspicious. No horses, no buggy, no luggage."

"Stop worrying. We'll be fine. They give us any shit and I'll make this place a ghost town." Dan said with a smirk. He walked holding Liz's arm like he had back in London. He figured they were going by the same family dynamics of that era.

Liz actually laughs as he threatens to make the town a ghost town if they were given a hard time. "Buggies? Is that what the carriages were called?" She asked quietly. She had been pretty sure there were carts, horses, and carriages or caravans. Then again, she could be wrong. This time era wasn't exactly a favorite for her in school over the renaissance or something of the like. With her hand on his arm, she smiled and laid her head against his shoulder as they walked through town. Her eyes would dart around to look at the woman and then at the buildings trying to tell what was a bank and what was a general store. "I almost feel like we should ask around for the places we're looking for…" She murmured, but knew it would be a bad idea since they would have to steal from there later. No need to make themselves look suspicious.

"Waggon maybe? I'm not sure. Different parts of the country called them different things. I think all are right." Clockwork murmured.

The three heard some noise from a nearby building. A piano played and there was loud lively talking. Dan looked towards it with interest.

"No, Daniel." Clockwork said. "Focus."

"Fuckin kill joy." Dan muttered.

Liz chuckled and shook her head. "Its a saloon, Dan...We have no business being in there anyways." She whispered. "Publicly, it would look bad. You're suppose to be my husband. It wouldn't do well for you to be seen in there."

"You two take the fun out of things." he grumbled. He then looked on down the line of buildings and nodded his head. "There's the bank."

Liz rolled her eyes and looked to the other side of them. Just a few buildings down, opposite of the bank, was the general store. "And theres the general store." She muttered to them, nodding over to it. "Well we have until well past closing times...what do you guys want to do?"

"Looks like there's not much _**to**_ do." Dan said as he looked around.

"These towns are so small, there were only so much a person could do in town." Clockwork responded.

"Well….We could always try to mingle." Liz suggested. Shrugging her shoulders a little as she hugged onto Dan's arm. Pressing her breasts against him. "Learn who is who, who the Sheriff and Deputy might be, who to avoid, who the mayor is…The name of the town. What state we're in, if we are in one..."

Feeling her breasts against him he stiffened in more ways then one. He then cleared his throat and nodded. "Ok."

Clockwork chuckled and shook his head before looking up as a man with a sheriff's badge come over to the three.

"Howdy, Folks. Don't reckon I've seen you all before." the man spoke eyeing each one in turn.

Liz looked the Sheriff over before looking at Clockwork and Dan. Smiling, she would ease up against Dan and hold out her hand as she suddenly spoke with a flawless American accent. "No, I'm afraid not. I'm Elizabeth Boyux. This is my brother, Christian, and my husband Daniel. We just arrived in town, Sheriff."

Dan didn't know if he could keep a straight face with the name she had chosen for Clockwork, and coughed into his hand to hide a small laugh.

The Sheriff nodded. "Well, then, welcome to our small town. We ain't much, but we like to keep a peaceful town. I don't mean to be nosey, but what exactly brings you to our town?" he asked.

"We were just passing through." Clockwork spoke up. "We were over run by …...Indians….and our belongings were taken."

"Seem in pretty good shape to have been raided."

"We ran." Clockwork said.

The Sheriff eyed him with suspicion, then looked back to Liz as if to confirm the story.

When Dan coughed into his hand, she would slyly elbow him in his side, hard. She let Clockwork speak until the Sheriff looked at her. Liz thought quickly on her feet. "It's true. My brother and I, we lost our ma and pa to an Indian raid when we were children. When we were attacked, our horses ran off and our caravan was destroyed. They didn't seem to be after us, just our supplies and belongings." She said, frowning as she reached over and squeezed Clockwork's hand with a sly wink that would have looked more like a natural blink.

Clockwork nodded, and squeezed her hand back before looking back at the Sheriff. Dan rubbed his ribs and looked off to the side as if his attention was elsewhere. The Sheriff nodded slowly. "Ok. Well, welcome to Alma. How long will you be staying with us exactly?" he asked.

"Probably just until tomorrow morning. Once we're rested, we'll be on our way."

"I see, and how exactly were you gonna pay for these lodgings if everything was stolen?" the Sheriff asked.

Dan was getting irritated by this man's constant questions and suspicions. He wanted to blow the man away and get what they needed, then leave. He looked at Liz and Clockwork as if asking permission to do just that.

As if sensing the irritation, Liz gave his arm a light squeeze. "We'll hopefully find a way or someone on this good earth, will do the Christianly thing and give us a room for the night out of the goodness of their heart." She said, giving a smile.

The Sheriff nodded a bit, still looking them over. "Tell you what, you promise to leave in the morning and I'll pay for you to stay the night at the inn." He said as he pointed to the Saloon. Over it was the Inn.

Liz turned her head to look over in the direction where he pointed. She knew they would be gone before morning. She frowned a little. It was going to look bad for two buildings to be robbed in the middle of the night and then have three strangers gone. But what other choice did they have. Turning back to the Sheriff, she nods her head. "You have our word…" She said softly. Slightly gripping onto Dan and Clockwork with her remorse.

"All right, right this way." The Sheriff said as he led them to the saloon.

Clockwork squeezed her hand in reassurance while Dan just gave her a wink. None of the deception bothered him at all. He just wanted to get it all over and done with.

Liz spared each man a glance as they followed the Sheriff towards the saloon. "Dan, tonight you take the bank." She said, giving Dan the more villainous task since it would bother him less. "Clockwork, take the general store...both of you meet me behind the barn we woke in this morning. We'll go to the tribe from there." She said just loud enough for the two men she held onto to hear. And only them.

The two nodded and continued to walk with her. Once they got to the Saloon, the Sheriff went and spoke with the owner. They were then given a key to a room and told which number it was. The Saloon was loud, smelled of beer, and there was clearly prostitution going on in the inn part of it. Dan wanted to join in with some of the raucous activities going on, but Liz was keeping a tight hold on his arm and hurting her wasn't something he was willing to do just to have some fun. They got to their room where Clockwork unlocked the door and held it open for Liz and Dan to enter, then followed behind and locked the door.

Once the door was closed and locked, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Letting Dan's arm go with a soft apology, she went over to the bed and sat down. Tucking fallen strands of hair back behind her ear. "I hate lying to people…."

"We do not have much choice in the matter." Clockwork said shaking his head.

"Well…..gotta do something to take up the time between now and the time for our little adventures. I say we grab a drink." Dan said grinning.

"Of course you do." Clockwork said flatly.

"I don't drink, but please….don't let me stop the two of you. My sleeping obviously didn't…." She said. Murmuring the last bit more to herself.

Clockwork turned away and looked out the window. "I will…..go see about securing us a wagon that can carry enough food for the Native Americans." He murmured. "I will meet back with you at the barn later tonight." With that, he went intangible and then invisible to leave the building.

"Wow. Guilt trip. Must suck having a conscious." Dan said chuckling.

"That wasn't suppose to be a guilt trip!" Liz groaned. Covering her face with her hands as she pretended to cry into them for a few moments before falling back onto the bed. An arm slung over her eyes as she turned her head away. "That was meant to embarrass him. I was teasing!"

Dan laughed. "Oh you probably embarrassed him alright. I almost think he's going to have a hard time looking at you."

Liz sighs as she moved her arm away from her eyes, opening them as she looked at him. "You clearly don't…." She muttered. Pushing herself back up into a sit, Liz gave a small smile. "Go on. Go entertain yourself, just stay out of trouble….I'll….wait here."

He winked at her. "If you insist." he said before walking out. He made sure the door locked behind him so no one could sneak in on Liz thinking her one of the saloon girls or something.

"Idiot…" Liz stared back at the door in a bit of disbelief, though she didn't feel overly shocked about it. "You weren't actually suppose to go…" She muttered quietly. Sighing, Liz curled up on the bed and hugged onto the pillow. Knowing the door was locked from the inside, she decided to try and get some sleep to pass up the time.


	14. A Western Fight

**Chapter 13**

**A Western Fight**

Dan made his way down to the Saloon part. He watched everything that was going on and wondered what to do first. He settled on a drink first. After about thirty minutes he moved over to play a game of poker. He ended up playing several hands for several hours. It was starting to get dark when a man accused him of cheating.

"Cheat? Fuck you, man. I don't need to cheat. I got pure skill." Dan boasted as he eyed the greasy looking cowboy.

"I say you're a dirty lyin' cheater." the cowboy argued.

"I say you've had too much to drink and you're a sore loser. Get out of my face and go get some more to drink. Maybe you can drink your eyesight back. I do not cheat." Dan growled out in annoyance.

Sure he may cheat and all from time to time, but he hated being accused of it when he hadn't. His words pissed the cowboy off and he stood up drawing his gun and pointing it at Dan. The piano stopped playing and everyone got real quiet. Dan looked down the barrel of the gun and laughed.

"Put that thing away before you make me mad." Dan said smirking.

The cowboy cocked the gun. Dan shrugged and quickly jumped up, tossing the table over and nearly hitting the cowboy with it. Using the confusion that caused for cover, he went intangible and dove through the table to tackle the cowboy. He landed on top of the man and grabbed his wrist. He slammed the wrist into the hardwood floor again and again until the gun went flying. By now this had turned into a full on saloon brawl. A barstool came down across Dan's back causing him to look over his shoulder at his stunned attacker.

"Really?" he asked before taking a piece of the broken barstool and shoving it through the man's leg.

The man screamed in pain and fell back on his rear. While Dan watched enjoying what he'd done, the cowboy was trying to punch him in the chest to get Dan off of him. Dan looked down at him and grabbed him by the head before starting to beat it into the floor over and over. Soon all the men in the bar were going at Dan to try and get him off of the cowboy. They were able to do it with broken bottles to stab and cut and pieces of tables and chairs. Dan was starting to see red and the men who attacked were getting badly wounded or thrown from the bar quickly. It wasn't long though that a group of the men got back into the bar to join in with some of the others and gave Dan the bum rush, somehow able to get a hold of him and throw him from the bar. Dan growled and stood up as his ghost form was revealed in his growing rage. He started to stalk back to the Saloon where the men were staring at him in shock and terror. He was walking by the horse trough when a hand grabbed the back of his head and pushed his face into the water.

Dan come up sputtering, his ghostly hair laying around his face limply. He turned with a raised fist, ready to knock his new attacker down the road, when he saw who it was. He blinked a few times and made a "Tch." noise before rubbing his face to get the water off of it, then running his hand through his hair to get it out of his face.

"Quick trip, Clock."

"You were causing such a noise that the Natives probably heard you." Clockwork said crossly. The whole time he had been giving Dan a look that if looks could kill, Dan would have been an ecto splat on the wall. "We will go get Liz and get out of here. I'm pretty sure you have effectively screwed up our plans."

"They accused me of che…."

"I don't want to hear it." Clockwork said as he started for the saloon door. Unfortunately, the men were now blocking his path. "You can move or I can cause you to move."

The men didn't know what it was, the almost calm tone of voice, or the look in the other man's eyes, but they got out of the way. Clockwork made his way up to the room with Liz in it and knocked on the door.

"Cl-Clockwork?" Her shaken voice would ask as she slowly approached the door. Her hand charging with an ectoblast just in case. She had been sleeping when she had suddenly heard things breaking followed by a lot of yelling. She couldn't hear what had started the ordeal from up in the room, but she certainly heard the fight that followed.

"Yes." he responded. "We are leaving ahead of schedule."

Liz let her hand flicker out as she sighed in relief and quickly unlocked the door. "It was Dan wasn't it? All the frightening sounds down below…." She sighed and took his arm as she glued herself to his side. "That idiot…."

"Sadly. Come. We will get out of here." he said as he walked with her back downstairs out out of the saloon. There standing outside was Dan. His hair soaked and hanging around his face and his shirt from his shoulders and down his chest was also soaked and sticking to him.

Clockwork saw the Sheriff coming from his office and knew nothing but trouble would come from that. He still had a hold of Liz's arm as he moved quickly to grab Dan's arm and half pulled half dragged the two with him out of town. Bullets whizzed around them as they ran. Just outside of town was a covered wagon. Inside was all the food and other good from the general store as well as the money from the bank. He didn't say anything as he pushed the two to get into the wagon. He then jumped into the driver's seat and snapped the reins to make the horses go. They drove fast as every now and then they'd hear gunshots. The sounds of hooves were getting closer and closer. Grumbling, Clockwork concentrated and made the wagon with all it's contents including Liz and Dan to go invisible. He continued on until he was sure they had lost their pursuers and finally came to a stop near the barn they had planned to meet out. By now the sun had gone down and the stars were coming up. Clockwork let the wagon go back visible and slumped panting. It had taken a lot of energy to do that for so long and for so much stuff.

"Are you two alright?" Clockwork asked.

Liz moved a hand away from her side with a heavy breath as she looked down at her hand then back up at Clockwork. "I'll live…" She muttered.


	15. Argument in the Woods and Regretted Word

**Chapter 14**

**Argument in the Woods and Regretted Words**

Placing her hand back where it was. In the chase from the saloon and into the wagon, she had felt a sudden pain at her side. Luckily it was a graze, but because of the angle it had hit at, the wound was bleeding enough to soak through her white shirt. She hadn't said anything once she was in the wagon. She had just kept low as they still fired at them. But now that they were safe, she could get it dealt with while they waited for the cover of darkness.

Saying she would live had both men alarmed and they both ended up at her side before she could say much else.

"Let me see." Dan said as he grabbed her shirt to try and move it.

"You've done enough." Clockwork growled out as he glared at the other ghost.

"Shut up. You don't know how to clean wounds especially this kind. I'll take care of it."

"I could just reverse it make it like she was never shot."

The two ghosts bickered for a few moments longer.

While they bickered, Liz rolled her eyes and merely slipped away while they were preoccupied. Keeping the hand to her side, she hissed softly with each movement. Leaning against the caravan for a moment, she shook her head and then began to walk away towards the woods. Hoping she could find some water. She'd clean the damn thing herself before using her underskirt to make bandages.

Noticing she was gone, Dan and Clockwork glared at each other, then jumped out of the wagon and followed after her. Dan was quiet as he followed her and Clockwork silently used his powers to reverse the damage done to her.

Liz sighed as she stopped walking when she felt the damage get reversed. "Are you two finished acting like spoiled children?!" She asks, turning on them sharply. Her hair falling from its up due. "Honestly, I'm sitting there in need of help and all the two of you can do is bicker?! I thought this tension was resolved the night before!" She growled. Turning back around as she continued on her chosen path. She needed to wash the blood from her hand.

When she got to a little creek she would only have Dan with her. While she did what she needed to, he sat on the bank quietly.

Liz said nothing to him as she washed her hand and side in the creek. Using her skirt to dry her hand, she'd soak her hands and then run them through her hair before splashing some of the water onto her face. She used her skirt again to dry off her hands and face before standing up and walking over to him. "Where's Clockwork?" She asked, looking around in a bit of a panic when she noticed it was just him.

Dan shrugged. "Not his keeper. He probably found something interesting and stopped to stare at it. You know how he is. He's like a damn crow."

"And you're just a troublemaker." She snapped. Liz would sigh and look away as she placed her hands on her hips. "Just couldn't help yourself could you? I said to stay out of trouble and you did the exact opposite. Not that I'm surprised. I mean, that's just like you!" She laughed bitterly. "Just when I started to believe there was still some good in you, Dan Plasmius, and you go and prove me wrong…" Liz shook her head and lowered her hands. "I'm going to find Clockwork!"

The name she called him caused him to flinch and he glared. "What….did you call me?" he asked as he grabbed her by her wrist.

Liz looked back at him. "I believe you heard me….now let me go."

The look in his eyes was one of hate and rage, but if it was directed at her or the name she had called him wasn't clear. He didn't attack though. He let go of her wrist with a slight push. He didn't say anything but started back through the forest.

Liz stumbled a little when he pushed her upon releasing her wrist. She would look at him sadly as she rubbed her wrist. "I wanted so badly for there to still be some good in you...I may not know where I am in the future you created, but I can guess. But in my world...Danny dies at fourteen and I spend the rest of my teen years in the ghost zone. Unable to face going back to Amity. Back to Fenton Works where I lost them all...But the worst part is, I never knew he died. I thought he survived because I found him outside the house. And I left him. It was the worse thing I could have done." She told him before storming off ahead of him as her eyes watered. She could hear him quietly following along behind her. And though she said nothing, and had a good start ahead of him, Liz kept her head down as she became lost in her head. In her memories and thoughts.

He wasn't following her for any particular reason besides not being able to get home without her and really having nowhere else to go. He had heard her story, and he examined his feelings about it, but he couldn't find the right one. He couldn't feel sorry for her for that particular event. He shook his head and stopped following her to lean against a tree with his arms crossed. He had been getting so involved with the old ghost and this temporal half ghost that he hadn't really stopped to think that to them, he was just a monster and when the chance came to remind him, when he had a slip up, they didn't mind reminding him of it. For Liz to call him by _**that **_name, it felt like a knife in the chest. He could have killed her for it. Would have killed her, but besides the seal inside of him, something else was not letting him do that. He remembered their talk last night, but didn't want to think too much about it. It was all too nice and almost intimate. It was a bitter thing now and he pushed it away. He looked towards where she had gone and just continued to stand where he was. Soon he turned and headed back the way they had come. She was a big girl. She could get back to the barn on her own.

Despite what Dan thought, Liz would never make it back to the barn.


	16. The Apache

**Chapter 15**

**The Apache**

Night would soon come to fall. The scout from earlier would run with haste from the woods to meet the old one. A strange pale face with hair bright as fire had been brought to the camp just earlier that evening. She didn't seem to be able to understand them and looked terrified of them. The pale face had just kept yelling and yelling and no one seemed to be able to understand what or who she was asking for. The tribe warriors, who had found her wandering the woods alone, deemed her a danger and her tied to a post in one of the tepees. Not a sound had been heard since, but he had heard her crying before leaving. He hoped the old one could help her.

Clockwork was back at the barn where he'd turned back to his normal form and was looking through the items he'd been able to get from the town. He was turning around just as the scout returned.

"Hello there." Clockwork said in the scouts language.

"Old one." The scout would show a sign of respect then eye the horse and wagon. "The promised bounty?" He asked cautiously. Weary that this could be a trick and the wagon could be filled with pale faces waiting to kill him or capture him.

"Yes." Clockwork said pulling back a flap of the wagon to show the food and other items inside. "You look to be distressed. What is wrong?"

"The warriors brought in a female of the pale faces earlier this evening. She has hair like we have never seen. It was bright like fire. Many of the tribe believe her hair to be made of such." The scout said. Approaching the wagon and looking inside. "I am...worried for her, old one. She seemed quite distressed and was shedding water from within her tepee when I left."

"Liz…." Clockwork murmured. He then looked at the scout. "We will take this to your village and then you will take me to the fire haired female."

The scout nodded his head. "Of course, old one." He said. Giving another motion of respect, he helped Clockwork prepare the horses and led the way back to his village. Knowing his tribe would be glad to see the bounty he had reported was promised to them by the old one. Many had not believed him. And now they would.

Clockwork looked around once they got to the village. He would give the same respectful motions to the elders that the scout had given him. He would talk with them for a few moments, then got them to lead him to the tepee with the fire haired female.

"Liz?" Clockwork asked as he entered the teepee.

She would gasp and sniffle as she looked up. "Clockwork?" She'd ask. There wasn't much light from the opening up top where the moonlight filtered in and there weren't any candles to be lit.

"Yes." he said as he walked over to her and began to untie her. "What happened? Why are you here? Why is Dan not with you?"

He wanted to rage at the other ghost for not protecting Liz. He didn't know why Dan was regressing into his more evil self, but it seemed like since this morning, he'd backslid back into his old ways.

Liz sniffled and watched him from over her shoulder. "It's my fault. I wasn't paying attention and must have wandered too close to their land." She said with a slight laugh. "I...Dan had been following me and I don't know when he stopped...He must have doubled back towards the creek." She murmured. Once her hands were free, she would rub her wrists and then turn to look at him. "I called him by a name I shouldn't have. It's my fault. I was yelling at him and I called him _**THAT**_ name and he looked so angry...I just wanted there to still be some good in him. Some of the Danny I use to know. I told him he proved me wrong and I hurt him." She would hug him as she started crying again.

Clockwork hugged her back and soothingly stroked her hair. "It will be ok. He won't hold it against you. Not for long. There is good in Dan. Even I can see that. We can't try to force it out of him and he will have tendencies to act out on his more wild tendencies. We…..we have to be patient and not compare him to either of his former selves. Plasmius or Danny. I am guilty of doing that myself. Wanting him to change and be the person I know he can be. We can not change him. Not by force, but we can influence change."

She would nod her head against him as she slowly calmed down from her hysterics. Liz wanted to leave now and find Dan but she knew it would be useless trying to do so in the dark. They would have till morning or hope that Dan found them, which at the moment, didn't seem likely to happen unless Gillie led him. When she has managed to gain her composure, she would let Clockwork help her up and bring her out of the tepee. "So...Just which tribe are we interacting with here?" She would ask.

"Apache." Clockwork said. "One of the many different ones."

"Glad you can communicate with them…I'm pretty sure over half the tribe thinks I'm crazy." She laughed. Brushing her hair from her face as she looked around at the different things people were doing.

Many were taking items from the wagon and taking them to places where they would store them. Some stood near fires cooking food and mothers were tending to their children while some people just stood or sat and talked.

"What did you end up yelling out when you got here?" Clockwork asked with a chuckle.

"Uh...Who are you, where am I, your name twice, Dan's name more than once, kept asking for my friends, and I'm pretty sure a profanity or two slipped through my mouth." She said with a laugh. Blushing when she'd admitted to yelling for Dan more than once.

"You care very deeply for him. Don't you?" Clockwork asked her.

Liz would turn her head and look at him with a sad smile. "Doesnt matter. In this dimension or mine, I'm not his type. But in both worlds, he's the only thing I've got besides you to a past that nearly destroyed me."

"I think he cares for you deeply also." Clockwork said as he looked at a fire that flickered a little further from them. "I think…..it would not hurt if you were to pursue him while we are traveling. You may be able to unlock that good that is still in him….."

"But it will only hurt later…" She said sadly. "When all this is over...Even if I stay…" She paused there and seemed to rethink her words. "I'll have to go home. I'm a Timekeeper, but I'm not immortal. I'll age, and grow old. Slowly, thanks to something the Silurians did to me, but I'll still age." Liz shook her head and looked away. "Its probably better this way. One sided and no one else but me has to get hurt." She smiled a little and lifted her head to follow his line of sight.

"Take him with you." Clockwork said. He shrugged as if it did not matter to him what happened to Dan. "He is nothing but a burden to me back at the tower. Take him with you and when you do die, you two could still be together. He is a ghost after all. If humans did not fall in love because they were someday going to die, the race would have died out ages ago. No….I-I think you two should be together….."

Liz chuckled a little and turned his head to face her. "Clockwork, he isn't into females, and I can't have two Dans running around in my dimension." She kissed her mentors forehead and walked off to try and interact with some of the females of the tribe. Maybe see about getting dressed like them or learning to do things they did for when their child was sick or upset.

He watched her walk off, his face blushing. He then looked down. He knew Dan felt things for Liz, but he wasn't sure what type of things. He knew he cared for Liz like a little sister. He had feelings for Dan, but sometimes those ranged into a seething hatred. Maybe hatred was too strong. Dislike? Disdain? Maybe he should just put it that he felt passionate about the other man. Clockwork sighed and walked over to the edge of the camp and looked out into the forest. He wondered where Dan was right now and hoped he was alright.

The elders gave the old one and the woman with hair of fire, a tent to sleep in for the night. The two were given furs to sleep on and keep warm with. Liz was given clothes to wear for the morning or take with her. Liz changed into the clothing, ignoring the amount of skin the leathers and fur left bare, and tried to get some rest. But she would find none this night. Liz was use to having Dan beside her. Use to feeling his arms wind around her and pull her close in a possessive and protective manner. Until these adventures had begun, she had no trouble sleeping on her own. Now she craved for his arms to be around her. And she knew she would long for it even after returning home. So with a sigh, Liz got up and left the tent to watch the night slowly give way to a new day.

"It took me all damn night to find you guys." Dan's voice said behind her just a little after dawn.

Liz turned around with a gasp and found herself smiling a little. "I'm sorry….Next time I'll be sure to leave a trail." She teased. Folding her arms over her chest. She had begun to say she was sorry for the way she acted and the things she had said at the creek. But then she had just stopped and switched to teasing him instead. She figured, if that hatred she had seen in his eyes had been directed at her...maybe it was better for him to hate her. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be so painful when all this was over if he hated her. "I think Clockwork is still resting within the tent if you want to join him."

Of course, Dan being Dan, he had to blow her ideas out of the water. He walked over to her and gently pulled her against him before capturing her mouth with his in a passionate kiss that was almost better than the one he had given her in London. He then pulled away resting his forehead against hers. "I'm s-s-s….." he pulled away and scrunched up his nose. Even the word tasted bad trying to come out of his mouth. "S...s…..ssss…." He closed his mouth and held up a hand as if to tell her to wait. He then cleared his throat and looked her straight in the eyes with the most determined look she had ever seen him give. "I…..am…..sorry….."

Liz was taken by surprise when he grabbed her gently and pulled her close. She had half expected him to do something that wasn't suddenly kissing her! Her eyes opened wide in her shock as she all but swore her heart stopped. Or at least missed several beats before it began to race. This kiss was far more passionate than the one he had given to her in London. And Liz kissed him back fiercely as she closed her eyes tightly. Resting her hands on his chest for the duration of the kiss, she would wrap them around his neck when he pulled away. Laying his forehead on hers as her breath came out in shaky heaves. She didn't say anything as he attempted to say he was sorry. Though she did try to tell him it was okay only to have him hold up his hand make her wait. Even after he said it, the blush on her cheeks would darken as she looked on in a mix of being impressed and surprised. "I….It's okay. It was my fault really. I shouldn't have….I shouldn't have said what I did."

Dan shook his head. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been shot, Clockwork and I would not have argued, and then you and I would not have argued. It's my fault. I can't change who I am, but I can try to be more careful with you and Clockwork around."

Liz would reach out and almost hesitantly took his hand in hers. "I don't...want you any other way than how you are now. I was wrong for trying to change you by clinging onto something I should have left in the past where it belongs. You are who you are and that's the you I've...grown close to. I know there is good in you, and it will make itself known when it's ready to. When you're ready for it…" She smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "And even then it won't change the you I've come to care for."

Dan smiled and kissed her again. As he did, cheers and yells went up amongst the tribe. There was sudden chanting and singing and women began to bring flowers and robes over to the two. Clockwork was standing just outside of the tent that he had shared with Liz and was smiling a little. He then chuckled and called out to them, "Congratulations. To these people you are now husband and wife."

Liz jumped startled when the cheers came. Her entire face would light up as she looked on in a flustered shock. "Wha-...how bloody long have they been standing there?" She whimpered, more than a little embarrassed.

"Oh don't worry. They haven't been watching too long. They started watching a few minutes after I started." Clockwork said with a shrug. He smirked a little and pulled the flap of the tent up. "Congratulations." he said again before going back into the tent.

Somewhere between getting the robes and flowers and Clockwork explaining what they were doing, Liz had actually been rendered speechless. Her mouth opened and close a few times, probably to yell at Clockwork with something along the lines of a threat, and continued to open and close till she just remained standing there with her mouth closed and eyes open in shock. Everything was still sinking in but internally, Liz was screaming to run and hide until no one was watching. She was even too flustered to look at Dan to see how he was handling things.

He was confused and it was written all over his face. He looked at Liz, then at the tribespeople, then back at Liz before shrugging. "When in Rome." he said before kissing her again. When they pulled away this time, the scenery had changed. They were now in what looked a lot like a cavern. The sounds of spirits wailing and moaning could be heard all around. They were definitely else. Dan looked behind them and saw Clockwork sitting on the ground looking just as confused.

"Tartarus." the timekeeper murmured. "Ancient Greece."

The kiss had snapped Liz out of her frozen state and made her smile. Until they pulled away. The wails and moans of the spirits within the cavern made her feel uncomfortable. As if to combat that feeling, she moved closer to Dan and looked at Clockwork as he said where they were. "Tartarus? Ancient Greece?" She felt her eye twitch a bit as she turned her sights onto Dan. "You jinxed us…"


	17. Tartarus

**Chapter 16**

**Tartarus**

"I said Rome, not Greece!" Dan exclaimed after being told he had jinxed them.

"There at the trivium sacred to Hecate, where three roads meet, souls are judged, returned to the Fields of Asphodel if they are neither virtuous nor evil, sent by the road to Tartarus if they are impious or evil, or sent to Elysium with the "blameless" heroes." She would mutter as she began to pace and try to ignore the moaning and wailing of the spirits of the long dead. "How did we end up in Tartarus!?" Liz shrieked, more in shock then anger over the new location as she stopped and looked between the two. "Last I checked, we weren't evil. Well, at least Clockwork and I aren't. Neither of us are virtuous, obviously, and Dan's been…" She frowned and ran her hands through her hair. "I just don't understand why we're here…"

"Maybe for recent sins….." Clockwork murmured as he looked around. He wasn't going to finish that line of thought though. No reason to dwell on something that had probably meant nothing. It was pretty dark. Almost too dark to see. "Either way, let's leave. We do not belong here." He created an orb of glowing plasma in his hand and started to use it as a torch to try and navigate their surroundings.

Liz held onto Dan's hand tightly, as if fearful that she'd get separated or lose him. Shuddering a little, she used her other hand to create a source of golden green light as they followed after Clockwork. Recent sins? Had he meant their stealing just to fit into the time periods they had landed in? Or had he meant what she overheard from the next room? Liz didn't want to think about it. She just wanted out of this place. Anywhere but Tartarus was fine with her.

They found a small narrow road and began to follow it. Clockwork and Dan would remain very quiet while Clockwork led and Dan held Liz's hand tightly. He was not going to lose her to this hell pit. He had no problems tearing it apart to find her if something were to happen. Soon they came to where the road forked. They only had one option if they wanted to get out, so they continued straight on. The scenery was getting lighter, but more gloomy.

She would turn her head and held her hand out a little more to expose more light. "I don't like this place...It's too gloomy." She muttered. Shrinking back against Dan's side as she brought her hand back in to only light the way in front of her instead of around her. "M-Maybe we should have gone the other way?"

"No. This is the right way, I'm afraid." Clockwork spoke in an almost whisper. Ahead he saw three figures. The judges. "We will have to try and sneak around them." he said as he let his orb disappear so as not to draw attention.

Liz quietly whimpered but crushed her light out of existence. _Wished I paid more attention to mythology!_ She thought, gulping as she looked at the two ghosts with her. She didn't know anything of the three figures up ahead, and she doubted they were the Fates. "Sh-should we go invisible?" She whispers to them.

Dan and Clockwork both nodded and went invisible. Clockwork hoped that maybe they would go the way he was going. He knew that his companions couldn't see him. He figured the best way to pass the three judges was by going behind them. Slowly and quietly he started his path.

Going invisible as well, Liz would let Dan guide her. When they had drawn closer to the figures, Liz held her breath. Too afraid to breath or make a single sound in case they were heard and caught. She kept her hold on his hand and covered her mouth and nose with the other until she was sure they were safe.

Clockwork waited until he was sure he was well past the judges before going back visible and waiting for Liz and Dan to join him. Once they were all back together and visible, he started for another path. He didn't make it too far as all three were grabbed from behind.

"That was a nice little trick, but we have seen it before. Ghosts a lot more clever than you lot have tried and failed." one of the judges said in his native language.

"We are not trespassers. We are here by accident. We only wish to return home." Clockwork spoke quickly back.

Liz screamed soon as they had been grabbed and quickly broke herself free of the hold she had been put in to hide behind Dan and Clockwork. She didn't say or do anything other peek over their shoulder and keep quiet as Clockwork, who she knew was far more older and more knowledgeable than her and Dan, handled their current situation.

The judges looked at one another and smirked before using their power to hoist the three up into the air and threw them hard. They would land in a river, the current dragging them down.


	18. Forgotten Memories

**Chapter 17**

**Forgotten Memories**

Dan grabbed hold of Liz and fought his way back up to the surface, but not before getting a lung full of the water. Once topside, he spit out water, gagging and choking. He then looked at the person in his arms to make sure they were ok. Clockwork come up next also sputtering and choking on the water. He swam to the side of the pool and started to pull himself out. As he coughed he looked at Dan and Liz and noticed something odd. He didn't know who they were. He didn't know where he was or how he'd got there or why. Hell, he didn't even know who he was. He sat there in stunned silence. Dan was much in the same state, but an odd feeling had him dragging the woman in his arms to shore.

Liz was coughing up water by a mouth full when they reached the shore. She felt someone's arms around her, making her feel safe and protected with something else she couldn't place, and she was rather grateful for it too. The more she coughed and gagged on the water, the more she shook and found it hard to stand. Gasping a few times, she used both hands to brush her soaked hair out of her face as she looked up at the person holding her up and then over to someone who sat not too far away. Confusion and a sense of familiarity filled her but why? Who they were? Where was she? Last thing she could remember….hadn't she been at a...she had been somewhere before this. She was sure of it. Looking away as she spit up the rest of the water in her lungs, she breathed heavily and kept wiping the dripping water from her face. As she racked her brain for an answer, she would come across a rather frightening discovery. _I don't even know my name!_

Clockwork stood up and looked around trying to figure out where he was, but nothing was making sense at all. He looked over his shoulder at the other two. They were the only two coming out of the lake like him. Perhaps they had ended up there in the same manner he had. Maybe they would know something. He walked over and held a hand out to Liz.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

His hand was slapped away as the man who was helping the girl glared at him. "Until I figure out what the fuck is going on, you will not touch her. She may be the only thing I have that can help me figure this shit out. Go back to sitting on your ass over there!" Dan growled as he stood up and pulled Liz to her feet.

Liz looked up when Clockwork offered his hand. Meeting his eyes, she felt a sense of trust and teacher/student relation with the man. "Ye-Yeah, I am." She smiled and reached for his hand, but stopped when the other man growled. Slapping his hand away as he pulled her to her feet himself. Liz blinked at the other ghost, feeling her cheeks fill with heat. "You don't have to be so mean..He was just being nice." She muttered. Tucking her wet hair behind her ears as she looked around. "Um...I don't suppose either of you know where we are, or who I am...do you?"

"Aw fuck." Dan growled putting a hand to his face. "If you don't know who you are, you sure as hell can't help me."

Clockwork looked between the two. Were they having the same issue as him? He sighed. "We need to find help and ask someone what is going on."

Liz would look at them both and tilt her head to the side a little as blurred things seemed to play before her. Rubbing her eyes and blinking them a few times, she rubbed her arms with a shiver. "Well….if we want to do that, then we better get moving. Best if we stick together. I don't know why but I...I trust you both." She said, nodding a little as she trusted her instincts.

Clockwork nodded. Dan looked suspiciously between the two. "I'll take my chances." he muttered and started to walk away.

Liz would blink and then shake her head as she ran after him. Grabbing onto his arm. "No, no, no! We're sticking together!" She argued, pulling on his arm as she tried to get him to come back with her.

He didn't like her pulling on him and turned to deliver a backhand. Two things happened, Clockwork grabbed his wrist and the seal inside of him flared to life. He was lucky that the river water had not affected Gillie. In fact the little fluffball was able to reverse time on Dan, sadly only Dan, and bring back his memories.

Liz flinched and let him go to shield herself with her arms up crossed up in fear in front of her face. When she didn't feel anything, she slowly lowered her arms and opened her eyes to see Clockwork holding Dan's wrist. Gulping, she backed away from the two as she hugged herself. Confusion clouded her senses. This was the man who had dragged her out of the water and left her feeling safe and protected in his hold...and he had been about to hit her. Shaking her head, she turned and fearfully ran off in the other direction.

Clockwork shoved the still stunned Dan away and ran after Liz. "Wait!" he exclaimed.

Dan watched the two. He had been about to hit Liz. And Clockwork had stopped him. He cursed himself and followed the two quietly at a walk. He'd have to keep an eye on them until he could figure out how to get their memories back. He glared over at the judges who had thrown them in the river. They were back in their spots having grown bored of the three trespassers.

Clockwork ran as fast as he could and caught up with Liz. He gently grabbed her shoulder to try and make her stop running.

Liz would stop and look at him as he grabbed her shoulder. "What do you two want!? Who is he!?" She asks, shoving his hand off her shoulder as she backed away from him. She knew he hadn't been near her when the other man had been about to strike her. So how had he gotten to her so fast? "Who are you people?!"

"I….I don't know. I don't know who he is nor do I know who I am. I wish I did." he said looking at her in the eyes with sincerity. "Like you said before. We should stick together. I'm not sure about him, but _**we**_ should stick close."

Liz would hug herself and rub her arms for some warmth. Sniffling, she nods her head and moves back over to his side. "Okay…" She muttered. Looking back over her shoulder to a quietly following Dan before she looked up at Clockwork and nodded again.

Clockwork held out a hand to her. He would help her and protect her until they could get their memories back.

Liz would take his hand and hold it tightly as she walked on alongside of him. Her eyes darting about to take in the scenery. A weak attempt at trying to place where they were. She figured if she could remember where they were, she might remember why they were here. "Does….anything look familiar to you?" She wondered aloud to him.

"No." he murmured. He was doing the same, trying to find any kind of familiar landmark.

Liz would look over her shoulder at Dan. "What about you? Does anything seem familiar to you?" She would ask almost nervously. Afraid that she would set him off again.

"We're not from here, Liz. I don't recognize anything. I'm just following you guys until I figure out a way to get your memories back." Dan said flatly as he continued to follow them.

She stopped and turned to face him. "Liz? Is that my name? You know my name?" She asked surprised, turning her head to look at Clockwork before looking back to Dan. "Who is he then?" She asked, pointing to Clockwork.

"A dumb ghost with an equally dumb name." Dan said with a smirk as he stopped walking and stood with his hands behind his back.

Liz blinked and tilted her head as she raised a brow in disbelief at him. Shaking her head, she folded her arms over her chest. "Fine. Don't tell me his name. But you will tell me how you know me and how we got here." She said stubbornly. Wondering if maybe it wasn't the man who had tried to strike her that she should be sticking beside instead.

Dan shrugged and walked closer to them. "Clockwork is his name. He's a Timekeeper. Of course right now, he's just an amnesiac time ghost. If he still had his memory, he could tell us how to get out of here." he looked at Clockwork and smirked. "I could maybe smack the memories back into him. Or do something else to jog memories." He said as he licked his lips with his snake like tongue.

The whole time Clockwork glared at him. He didn't know if they should believe this buffon or not. He had tried to hit the girl earlier for trying to keep him from going a different direction and now he was following them like a little lost puppy.

Liz blushed as she got the implied meaning and looked between the two men. "You two must fight an awful lot…" She muttered, shuddering at seeing Clockwork's glare. Clearing her throat, she would look away. "S-Still haven't said about me though….how do you know me?"

"Elizabeth is your full name. You're a half ghost half human woman who travels through time. I guess you're some kind of temporal ghost also." He said shrugging. "Clockwork knew more than I did."

She nods her head a little bit. Looking him over, she would bite her bottom lip before daring to step closer to him. Leaning in close as if to kiss him, but instead, she looked into his eyes. "Are you telling me the truth?" She would ask. Her breath brushing against his lips.

He moved closer until their mouths almost brushed as he spoke, "I guess you'll just have to trust me."

She gasped and held her breath as her heart began to race, though she didn't know why. Her face was burning with a blush. Swallowing hard, Liz took a step back as she nods quickly then turns and walks on confused. Why had her body reacted that way to him being so close?

Clockwork was still glaring at Dan who looked at him and winked. "Eyes up front, Blue." he said as he started after Liz. "Maybe this place has a map."

Clockwork rolled his eyes and followed the two. "Yes. I suppose one will just fall from the sky."

Liz felt her lips twitch into a smile as she covered her mouth before she could start laughing. Just what was it about these two that had her trusting them so easily and finding their antics entertaining? She wished she could remember. Dan had seemed to have his memories and yet earlier, she knew for a fact he hadn't had them. _Did Clockwork do something to him after I ran?_ She wondered. Shivering, she would hug herself again and look down at what she was wearing. _No wonder I'm cold...Look at all the skin these clothes leave bear! Just what the heck am I wearing?!_ Liz thought, glancing back at the other two to see if either of them matched her in a similar fashion.

Both men were still wearing the settler's type clothing they had been in while in the 1800's. Of course she wouldn't remember that. The two men were walking quickly towards her to catch up. Before they could reach her, a tall man with long white hair and wearing a dark toga appeared before her.

"So, you are the three that's been messing around down here. You're a bit lively for being dead." the man said. He looked at Liz and nodded. "I see. You're not completely dead, are you?"

Liz stared at the man and gulped as she moved to take a step back. Almost shrinking away from him. "I-I-I don't….I don't know what you're talking about…" She said softly, letting herself look him over for a moment before looking back up at him. "Wh-Who are you?"

"I am Hades. The ruler of the underworld. What creature does not know of me?" the man asked her tilting his head. "I take it you are trying to leave my world."

Dan and Clockwork looked up at the man as they moved to stand protectively on either side of Liz.

Liz turned her head to look at both men and felt a surge of sassy confidence. Clearing her throat, she'd set her hands on her hips with an attitude. Narrowing her eyes a little. "One who thinks you oughta humor her. And yes, we are. We don't belong here."

"Your disrespect will only be entertaining for so long. Do not tempt a god." Hades said as he looked at the three.

Liz huffed and relaxed her stance a little as she closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, her hands found those of Dan and Clockwork out of instinct. She laced her fingers with theirs and held tight as she opened her eyes and looked back up at Hades. "Please, oh, lord of death, allow us to pass and return to where we came from." _Wherever that may be..._She thought a little distressed. Why couldn't she remember.

"What is in it for me?" Hades asked.

While the God of the Underworld spoke, Clockwork and Dan both held Liz's hand tightly.

_Going to regret this…_ She would mutter inside her head. "What is it you would like?" Liz asks him, squeezing their hands. "What could the god of the Underworld want from the three of us? Two ghosts and a half ghost...nothing more than humble beings in your eyes."

"Entertain me." Hades spoke.

"How?" Liz wondered. Arching a brow. Entertaining a god of death, didn't exactly sound like an easy task and with her lack of memory, the task seemed even more complicated to do.

"However you like."

"Yeah, not so easy to do when two out of three of us don't even have our memories!" She snaps frustrated. Liz didn't like this place. The underworld. She wasn't dead! They didn't belong here! Plus she was cold. She just wanted out. "Look, it's been a bit of a weird day. I can't remember where I was before this, I came out of a river with this one," she nods to Dan, "coughing up water, I'm wet and I'm cold, and I have amnesia! I just want to go home!" That's when her heart gave a painful thud. Home...it didn't seem like such a pleasant word for her to be saying or thinking about. And what was worse is she didn't know why. Why was the thought of going home, wherever it may be for her, so painful?

"You want your memories back and you want to go home, but you can not think of a way to do what I asked. You are not off to a very good start." He chuckled and then seemed to start to fade. As he did, she would start to feel very sleepy.

Liz gulped and blinked her eyes a few times as they began to blur. "Wh-What are you…" She swayed a little as she struggled to remain standing. "...doing...to…" She'd drift off as her eyes closed and her legs gave out as she suddenly passed out.

She wouldn't know if Clockwork caught her or if Dan did, but it wouldn't matter as the next time she woke up, she'd be in an open field full of different colored flowers.


	19. A Field of Dreams

**Chapter 18**

**A Field of Dreams**

_Sometime would pass before her eyes opened with a yawn. She'd groan softly and blink her eyes to clear away the haze of sleep. Slowly pushing herself up into a sit, Liz rubs her eyes and blinks as she looks around confused. Hadn't she just been with two other people? Clockwork and someone else… She hadn't ever gotten his name. But they were ghosts. And she was a half ghost. Looking around at the field of flowers, Liz actually started to wonder if she fell asleep outside in some garden and dreamt the whole thing. "He-Hello?"_

_A woman appeared and smiled at her kindly. "Hello."_

_She would halfway turn to face the woman with a bit of uncertainty and caution. "Hello...Who are you?" Liz would ask, turning her head to look around. "Where are we?"_

"_I'm Persephone. I am the wife of Hades, and we are in your mind."_

"_My mind…" She chuckles and would slowly stand up as she brushed herself off. "Well my desktop doesn't look so bad." Liz said jokingly, though she couldn't recall why she would say such thing. "What happened to me? I was...with people. Are they okay?"_

"_Yes. They are fine. Hm….desktop?" she murmured she grew quiet as if she were deep in thought. After a moment a computer would appear on a table. "Ah. I see." she waved a hand and it disappeared. "Your friends. They mean a lot to you. Hm." Images would flicker all around them, but they were fuzzy. Hard to see. Just as quick as they appeared, they disappeared. "This is troubling."_

"_Friends?" Liz laughed a little and turned to face Persephone. "I don't even…" She stops as images flicker around them of Dan and Clockwork, and though Liz couldn't see the images clearly, she just knew it was them. "Them…" She trailed off, at a loss. It would appear she did know them after all. And assuming the images had been her memories, why then were they so fuzzy? "I can't...I can't remember them. Something happened to us...we were...I know we all came out of a river…" Liz muttered. Subconsciously wrapping her arms around herself. "Persephone, can you help me? I need to get us back to wherever it is we came from...we don't belong in the Underworld and I don't know how to entertain a god of Death."_

"_You're entertaining him now." she said gently. "So let's not disappoint." she said with a small wink. "Let's start with something simple. You said you come out of the river. Was it all three of you together?"_

_Liz thought back to when they came out of the water and nodded her head. "Clockwork was sitting just a little bit away from me and the other gentlemen, who I guessed fished me out of the water with himself. Like Clockwork and I, he didn't seem to know who he was or where we were. The other gentlemen, he went to strike me after we decided to stick together and I went after him to keep him from going the other way, but Clockwork stopped him and I ran off in the other direction with Clockwork following me. By the time the other one joined Clockwork and I, his memories came back, yet Clockwork and I remain like blank slates."_

"_I see. That doesn't seem to be any help at all does it? We know that he was like you, and suddenly he wasn't. Something had to happen, but we're not sure as to what. Still not much help. We need to dig further. These men, how do you feel about them?"_

"_I trust them…" She said, nodding. "I trust them completely, only I don't know why but I'd like to. Clockwork...I get the sense he's more of a mentor, a teacher. At least towards me. Like he's someone I can look up to. But the other one…" Liz folded her arms and chewed the inside of her cheek in thought. "He makes me feel….safe and protected when he holds me. So much so that in a way, I almost feel bad for the poor soul who dare harm me with him around. Being near him makes me feel relaxed and I'm happy knowing I have them both close to me. Like I can't even imagine not having them both in my life. He makes my heart react funny...and my stomach feel odd in a good kind of way." She didn't know she was smiling the whole time as she talked about Dan. "But at the same time I feel like all this...Everything he makes me feel, is just going to hurt me in the end."_

"_Hm…..then there are still memories. You all were not in the river long enough for a complete wipe. Perhaps a jolt will bring them all back to you. This is a little what is a word from your time that I am looking for. Oh I see. Cliche. This will be very cliche, but, a kiss could be the jolt you need."_

_Liz would blush as her eyes went wide. "A-A kiss!?" She squeaked. Lightly touching her lips as she remembered how they tingled when the other ghost had leaned in close enough to almost have their lips touching._

"_There's something inside of your friend. Something that made it possible to regain his memories. The only way I can see for you to regain yours is by killing him to take what it was, or a kiss. If you take it from him while he's still the way he is, then he will become a terribly evil creature, rampaging and destroying everything. So that leaves you with the only two options." Persephone said sadly as an image appeared. It was not as fuzzy as the others, but it was of the man who she had not learned his name yet, destroying a town. Completely. He killed people. No matter what they were, man, woman, or child. He burned down buildings or just blew up whole neighborhoods from the sky. He defeated an entire army._

_Liz gasped and covered her mouth as she watched in horror. Shaking her head, she would close her eyes as she felt them water, though she didn't know if it was from what she had seen or because of how the thought of this other man being so terribly evil made her feel. Perhaps it was because of both. "No! I won't kill him! I wont! Whatever is inside him...He can keep it! I don't...I don't want him to become a monster!" Liz sobbed. Falling down to her knees as she cried. Unaware that while she cried within her dream, her physical body would have tears falling down her cheeks._

_Persephone knelt down beside her and smiled a little. "You do not have to. A simple kiss should do the trick." She stroked Liz's hair. "You….you love that man, don't you?"_

"_I don't know…" Liz sniffled and looked up at her. "I don't remember what love feels like or if I've ever felt it before." She hiccup. Leaning into Persephone's calming touch._

_She smiled and kissed the side of Liz's head. "Well, time for you to remember." she said softly. A few seconds later, Liz would wake up to find her head in Clockwork's lap, and her hand being held in Dan's._


	20. A Lover's Kiss to Sooth A Beast

**Chapter 19**

**A Lover's Kiss to Sooth A Beast**

Liz would gasp as she woke up. Her eyes shooting open as she sniffled a few times. Blinking her eyes a few times, Liz would look above her as she felt her head resting on something other than the ground. "Clockwork?" She felt someone squeezing her hand and her head turned to find Dan holding her hand. "You…"

"Are you alright?" Clockwork asked.

"I...Yeah." She said. Using her other hand to dry her cheeks as she rubbed her eyes. "He...He made me fall asleep. And I met Persephone…"

"Purse….what?" Dan asked blinking in confusion.

Liz gave a small laugh as she sat up and squeezed his hand. "Persephone...Hades' wife." She sniffled, smiling a little as she looked at him. "She told me…." Liz paused and bit her bottom lip. "She told me something useful. Like how to get my memories back and how you got yours."

"Oh? What'd she say?" Dan asked. Clockwork listened also. He was eager to get his own memories back.

"She said there's something inside you. Something that gave you back your memories and if we removed it…" Liz's eyes watered all over again. "If we removed it, you'd be a monster. Something so evil and so dark...I saw you destroying an entire town. Women and children and men alike." She sobbed. Covering her mouth as she closed her eyes and swallowed hard. Clearing her throat a little as she continued. "Persephone said that she suspects I can get my memories back one of two ways...I could kill you, or you could…" Her cheeks warmed as she dried her eyes. "Or I could get them back with a kiss."

"Ah. She showed you the good old days." he said with a snicker. He then shook his head as Clockwork glared at him. Dan then moved so his face was close to Liz's. "Hm... A kiss. Maybe I wont. Maybe I like you this way. All dependent and trusting." he all but purred.

She blushed more as he moved his face close to her and purred his words. "She asked me if I loved you...from how I talked of you….I told her I didn't know because I can't remember what love feels like or if I've ever been loved." She murmured, turning her head to look away. "So you could leave me this way...but you won't." Liz turned her head back to face him. "Because I think deep down you miss whoever I use to be, otherwise you wouldn't still be holding my hand."

Dan blinked and looked down at their still interlocked fingers. _Well, look at that._ He thought to himself. He then shrugged as he looked at her again. "Well then…" he murmured before capturing her lips with his. His tongue moved over her lips teasingly. Soon as she parted her lips, his tongue was in her mouth, caressing her tongue and exploring her moist mouth. He would deepen the kiss passionately and nearly dipping her back. As he did this, Gillie recognized that Liz was missing her memory. He reversed time on Liz causing all her memories to return.

"Mnh!" Her eyes would go wide as he kissed her. She honestly hadn't expected him to kiss her after what she had said. Closing her eyes, she would kiss him back. Blushing as his tongue ran over her mouth. Moaning, she would part her lips for him. Blushing more as his tongue slipped into her mouth and began to explore her mouth. She felt his tongue caress hers as she shyly lifted her tongue to rub against his while he deepened the kiss. Her head would begin to feel fuzzy as Gillie restored her memories. Liz would register right away that Dan was kissing her when her head cleared, and her arms would wrap around his neck as her fingers gripped at his hair as she pressed into him. Returning the passion she felt in the kiss.

Dan let out a small grunt as Liz grabbed his hair, and showed her how he felt about that as he pulled her closer against him. After a little while, or what felt to him like an eternity, they parted and he looked into her eyes. Seeing recognition there finally, he smirked. "There you are."

Panting, she smirked and licked her lips. "Didn't realize you'd miss me that much." She teased, kissing him again before hugging him tightly with a chuckle. "Now you gotta kiss Clockwork."

"Pft...Miss you? Yeah ri….." he didn't finish as she kissed him again. He then chuckled and nodded.

"**WHAT?!"** Clockwork exclaimed. "Ki…..Kiss me? You have to be kidding, right?"

Liz just looked at him then looked back at Dan. "Should I hold him down?"

"Hm. A threesome…..Kinky. I like how you think." Dan said with a smirk.

Chuckling, Liz let him go in favor of quickly pouncing CLockwork and keeping him pinned down so Dan could kiss him. Persephone hadn't said anything about a kiss helping Clockwork, but she hoped it would. Especially now that she knew it was Gillie that restored her memories by reversing the flow of time around her.

"Hey! This is childish! Let me go!" Clockwork exclaimed as he thrashed around and tried to throw the girl off. Dan was on him before he got the chance. He smirked as he run a hand up Clockwork's side, then over to his wrist.

"I know you don't remember this right now, but you will in a moment." he murmured seductively.

He wasn't as gentle with Clockwork as he had been with Liz, basically forcing the other man's mouth open and giving him a passionately, rough kiss. After Dan pulled away, Clockwork lay there panting with a deeply blushing face.

"Daniel…." he murmured.

"Hey, Clock. Got your marbles back?"

"Get your knee out of my thigh and I will let you know."

Liz laughed and let him go as she stood up, blushing from witnessing the rough kiss. Brushing her hair from her face, she would rub her arm a little. "Now that we've all got our memories back, let's return to getting out of here, ya? Hopefully we've entertained Hades enough to be allowed to pass."

Dan nodded as he stood and helped Clockwork up. "Hopefully." he muttered.

Clockwork looked around to get his bearings, then pointed towards an area that looked to have more light. "We will go that way. It is farther than it looks, we will need to fly and quickly. We do not want to be pulled down." Clockwork spoke as he took to the air.

Dan didn't ask and just automatically pulled Liz into his arms before jumping to fly next to Clockwork. The two zipped quickly over head of the other ghosts as fast as they possibly could.

Liz yelped startled as Dan pulled her into his arms and took off after Clockwork. Blushing, she laid her head against his shoulder and nuzzled into his neck as she held on tight. _Yes, Persephone...I think….I do love him. _She thought with a bit of a smile.

They were getting close to the light when they heard a growl and were suddenly all three batted from the air to land on the hard rocky ground. Looking up they would see a giant three headed dog.

"Fuck…...Cujo's long lost brother…..brothers? I suppose." Dan muttered.

Clockwork stood and looked at the dog. "Cerberus."

Liz groaned as she sat up after getting knocked to the ground while in Dan's arm. Rubbing whatever part of her hurt from the landing, she looked up at Cerberus and sighed. "Don't suppose playing music will get us by, will it?" She asked sarcastically. "Is there anything in the mythology that tells how to get past Cerberus?"

"Actually…...that's exactly what we do." Clockwork murmured. "Something soothing."

"Can't I just….you know….beat the hell out of it?" Dan asked flatly. He wasn't about to go looking for instruments to play this thing to sleep. He'd rather just beat it.

"So we, or I, sing it a lullaby…." She said, tilting her head as she got up to her feet. "Okay….I can do that…" Liz gave a smile and began to slowly walk forward towards Cerebus. "Uh….Okay. Lullaby…." She'd become still as her mind frantically raced.

Clockwork held out a hand and a violin made of green energy appeared. He would make a bow appear as well and when Liz started to sing, he would play.

[-  watch?v=zIgPpzMaZdA -]

"_Hush now, my baby_

_Be still love, don't cry_

_Sleep like you're rocked by the stream_

_Sleep and remember_

_My lullaby_

_And I'll be with you when you dream_

_Drift on a river_

_That flows through my arms_

_Drift as I'm singing to you_

_I see you smiling_

_So peaceful and calm_

_And holding you, I'm smiling, too_

_Here in my arms_

_Safe from all harm_

_Holding you, I'm smiling, too_

_Hush now, my baby_

_Be still, love, don't cry_

_Sleep like you're rocked by the stream_

_Sleep and remember this river lullaby_

_And I'll be with you when you dream_

_Here in my arms_

_Safe from all harm_

_Holding you, I'm smiling, too_

_Sleep and remember this river lullaby_

_And I'll be with you when you dream_

_Sleep and remember this river lullaby_

_And I'll be with you when you dream_

_I'll be with you when you dream"_

Dan watched the two with with a look on his face that said he thought they were incredibly stupid. Soon his expression changed as he watched the giant dog slowly lay down and close all its eyes.

"No….fucking….way." Dan said.

"Shh!" She scolded lightly, placing a finger at her lips as she led them on past the sleeping three headed dog. Once they were far enough to not be heard by the dog, she grins and gives a thumbs up. "Not bad, huh!?"

"I am impressed." Dan said nodding slightly. "Now let's go." He grabbed her hand with one hand, and Clockwork's wrist with the other and took off quickly down a tunnel on his way to what looked like the opening of a cave. They were soon out in fresh air in a forested area.


	21. Pleasing Aphrodite

**Chapter 20**

**Pleasing Aphrodite**

_**WARNING WARNING WARNING! THIS CHAPTER IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC! LOTS OF FLUFF AND LEMON! IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 SKIP THIS CHAPTER! IF YOU ARE NOT INTO YAOI SKIP THIS CHAPTER! IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY READING "SMUT" SKIP THIS**_

_**CHAPTER! DUBIOUS CONSENT WARNING! READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!**_

"We did it…" She laughed. "We did it, we made it!" She cheered. Letting go of Dan's hand as she ran forward out into the open and spun around under the sunlight laughing. "Finally! I was starting to think we'd never see the sun again!"

Clockwork sat on the ground smiling and nodding. When Dan had grabbed his wrist, it had surprised him and he'd lost the energy created violin and bow. He could make another if need be, but out of danger, he didn't see a need for it.

Dan stretched and looked around. "Yeah. Now we should find a place to rest for a while."

Liz would nod and stretch her arms out above her before bending over to stretch by touching her toes. She hadn't actually realized till now that she was barefoot. Wiggling her toes with a smile, she'd place her hands on her hips. "Well….we're kind of out in the open here, so let's see if we can find a good spot to camp."

Dan nodded, he saw a building not too far away. It was a small building, but not so small to be a shed. It was surrounded by beautiful flowers, and water fountains here and there. Dan nodded to it. "Let's rest there." he said.

Clockwork stood up and nodded. "Yes. That'll be the best place to rest for now. There's even water."

"It looks like a mini temple or a shrine…" Liz said as she walked over to the fountain. Gathering the water into her hands, she'd splash some on her face then gather more and drink from her hands as if they were a cup. "On the plus side, the water doesn't seem to be enchanted." She said with a laugh. Running her soaked hands through her hair.

"Yeah." Dan said as he walked over to the door and pushed it open. Inside the building smelled of wonderful perfumes and flowers. Fruits and berries were in a bowl on the altar while whines of varying kinds sat around the bowl. Dan shrugged and walked over to grab a bottle of the wine.

Meanwhile outside, Clockwork was washing his face with the fountain water as well. He took a few drinks of it before then using his shirt to dry his face. He looked at Liz and cleared his throat. "I-If you like, I can stay out here while you and Dan rest." he said.

Liz looked over to him and gave a soft smile. "I'd rather have you close by then out here by yourself…" She said. Looking down at her reflection. "I know what you're trying to do, and while I appreciate it, it's best it doesn't happen. At best, he just sees me as his possession. Dan is selfish. Once he's decided something or someone is his, there is hell to pay for the poor soul who messes with them. I'm from a different dimension. An alternate universe of sorts." Liz smiled sadly and turned her head to look at him again. "That lullaby I sang...I sing that to your son every time he stays with me. Much as I dread going home...I just can't abandon the little guy." She reached over and squeezed his shoulder before heading inside to see Dan drinking a bottle of wine. "We probably shouldn't be eating or drinking anything here. We don't know what god or goddess these things have been placed out for or offered to."

Clockwork listened to her and smiled sadly. The part about having a son confused him, but he said nothing on the subject. Instead he soon followed her in and spotted Dan downing a bottle of the wine. He heard Liz and put a hand to his head. "Too late. Daniel….put the bottle down. We're probably about to get into some serious trouble from….."

He was cut off as a very voluptuous woman with long blond hair reaching to the back of her legs appeared. She wore almost gauzy see through pink robes that looked more like just ribbon strips. Her beautiful blue eyes glared at the three in irritation.

Clockwork sighed and finished his sentence, "Aphrodite."

Liz looked Aphrodite up and down and folded her arms self-consciously over her chest with a grumble. "Now I'm envious…" She muttered, looking away from the irritated goddess of love. _Way to go, Dan…_

Dan's eyes widened. "Whoa…." he said looking the Goddess up and down with his mouth almost hanging open. Aphrodite grinned and wagged her fingers at him, then got the cross look on her face again as she snatched the almost finished bottle of wine from him. The whole time, Clockwork was glaring daggers at the back of Dan's head. If it was because of the wine or because of his reaction to the woman was hard to tell.

"How dare you?! Who do you three think you are!? I let you wash your filthy faces and hands in my fountains. That was not an invitation to come in and drink my offerings!" she exclaimed.

"Forgive us, Aphrodite, for any disrespect that has been shown and know we mean no harm." Liz spoke gently. Refusing to look at the woman after Dan's reaction, feeling rather self conscious of herself now compared to the amazing beauty before them. "My friend fails to think before he acts."

"He fails to think period." Clockwork muttered.

"He has drank of the tribute and offerings left for me. I demand repayment!" she exclaimed. She eyed Liz while she spoke. She smiled a little. If it was one thing that Liz and her companions would learn while in Ancient Greece, it would be that the gods and goddesses were the type to do things that pleased them and them alone as well as do things out of spite. Liz would feel her arms fall to her sides as Aphrodite walked over to her and brushed a hand over her breasts. A pleasurable feeling would go through her and when she looked down she would see that her chest was now the same size as Aphrodite's and was now pushing at the fabric given to her by the Native Americans.

Liz didn't like the way she was being eyed by the goddess. "Don't look at me! I had the last punishment, this one is on Dan!" She argued, wishing the goddess would stop staring at her. Liz watched her begin to walk towards her and she grew tense. Especially as her arms seemed to take on a mind of their own and fall to her side. Trying to not show just disturbed she was by this, Liz glared at the woman and gasped as she felt her hand trail over her breasts. Making Liz shudder and blush. "Wha-What are you doing!?" She cried, moaning as the size of her breasts grew. Liz blushed brightly and clenched her hands into a tight fists as she bit her bottom lip. Her breasts were pushing at the clothing from the Native Americans, just barely remaining decently hidden beneath them.

"About to get my tribute." the Goddess said as he walked over to Clockwork and gave the time ghost the most passionate kiss of his whole existence. Clockwork had been about to push her off when it first started, but as it continued, he just moaned and returned the kiss best he could. Aphrodite pulled away leaving the man dazed, and painfully turned on.

Last she walked over to Dan. She narrowed her eyes and popped him on the back of his head. "Take care of them." she said while seeming to disappear. Probably just to an area or plain they could not see, but she could.

Once Aphrodite was gone, Liz covered her breasts, effectively pushing them together as she sighed. Face still blushing. "We should have stayed outside…" She muttered, shifting her eyes to look at Dan. Feeling almost nervous as to what he would do now.

"What? Hey, sorry. I was thirsty." he said as he looked at her. He then looked at her breasts. "I...guess...I mean...I probably should have…..but…." he murmured incoherently as he walked over and put an arm around her waist. "Fuck it. I know what she wants." he muttered. "She wants a show. I'll give her one." he said before capturing Liz's mouth. His free hand moved up to massage and squeeze one of her now enlarged breasts.

Liz lowered her arms when he pulled her to him. She shivered a little and placed her hands on his chest as she listened to his muttering before gasping as he captured her lips. Moaning, she'd wrap her arms around his neck and moved her hands into his hair. Curling them into fists as she pressed her chest up against his. Parting her lips, she adds pressure onto the kiss as she kissed him deeply with passion. Her eyes fluttered close as she felt him massage and squeeze one of her enlarged breasts. "Mmmnh…."

He continued what he was doing as he kissed her enjoying the taste and the feel of her. Her hand in his hair causing a small moan. He pulled away and looked down at her clothes and quickly ripped the scant bit of clothing away. He then all but threw her to the floor.

Liz yelped as he threw her to the floor. Growling, she'd prop herself up on her elbows. "Couldn't have been a bit more gentle could you?!" She said annoyed. Least he could have done was make sure there had been pillows or cushions or something under her first! He was just lucky that she was feeling too horny to care THAT much.

He wasn't particularly listening and he knelt down to shut her up with another searing kiss. His hand moved down to stroke her between the legs almost feather lightly. Clockwork was watching from where he had been and then looked around wondering if he should walk outside after all.

Liz shut up with a moan as he began to kiss her again. Laying back down on the marbled floor, she would moan as his hand went between her legs and stroked her with a feather light touch. She'd whimper a little and spread her legs as she reached up and ran one hand into his hair. Gripping it tightly as she kept him pressed against her lips in a deep kiss.

He ripped off any remaining underwear and slowly pushed a finger into her, all the while continuing to devour her mouth.

Liz cried out into his mouth as she arched. She'd use her other hand to grip tight onto his arm as her hips bucked against him with a groan. Dan would find her passage tight, indicating she was still a virgin.

"Shit….." Dan murmured when he figured out she was a virgin. He sighed as he pulled his hand from her and looked towards Clockwork. He didn't want to defile a virgin. He didn't want to be her first fuck. He wanted her to experience love and pleasure for her first time. Things he didn't think he could do.

Liz sighed when she realized why he had stopped and was cursing herself mentally. "It's fine...I can go wait outside while you and Clockwork give the beauty a show…" She muttered. Pushing him away as she started to get up.

"I wasn't calling Clockwork for me you ditz." he said shaking his head. He looked up as the other man walked over, but kept his attention on a ar wall.

"The uh…..the door to this place is locked." Clockwork murmured. "What did you want?"

"She's a virgin." Dan muttered.

"What?" Clockwork asked.

"She's a virgin! An innocent! Still got her V-Card!"

"And standing right here!"

"Sorry." both men said.

"So what do you want me to do?" Clockwork asked.

"Well…..you know…...get her uh…..loosened up… I mean...you being an innocent too…..Kind of….I kinda took some of that away." Dan said the last part with an evil chuckle.

"Yes….you took my 'V-Card' as you so nicely put it." Clockwork deadpanned. "So why can you not do the same with her?"

"It's just different!" Dan exclaimed.

Liz's ears were turning red from her embarrassment as she stood there and listened to them decide on who was claiming her virginity. She didn't think it could be any more embarrassing for her.

Clockwork sighed and walked over to Liz. "Will this be ok with you?" he asked gently.

"I don't know why you two are making this a fuss!" Liz said, folding her arms over her chest as she looked at them both. "Yes, I'm a virgin, so what? I know what it's like to be loved and to love someone, because the one I did love got married and I wouldn't hurt my friend like that. My childhood crush, was in love with my best friend. I've never had the pleasure of having a boyfriend! …." Liz sighed and lowered her head. "It doesn't matter which one of you takes it...I'd rather have it done by someone I trust," she looked up at them both, "then get taken under their watch and raped."

The two men looked at one another, then back at Liz. Clockwork nodded. "Ok." he said before he moved closer to kiss her. His kiss was far more gentle than Dan's. Almost reverent. He let his tongue gently slide over her lips in a request for entrance.

Dan leaned against a wall to watch the two.

Liz would kiss him back as she ran her fingers through his hair. Lightly wrapping his arms around his neck as she glanced towards Dan.

He raised a brow at her as if to ask her "what?" He wondered then if Clockwork was doing it right. The old ghost had better be doing it right.

Tilting her head as she kissed Clockwork, she'd brush her hair to the side as she made a come hither motion for him. Eyes gleaming with a bit of mischief. If Dan thought he'd sit this out, what HE started, he had another thing coming.

Clockwork wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close as he deepened the kiss enjoying how her hand felt in his hair. He was oblivious to what was going on between Dan and Liz. Dan looked at Liz and shook his head before seeming to go invisible.

She glared after him and would fire a quick plasma bolt towards where he had last been. Inwardly huffing, she'd close her eyes and moan against Clockwork as she played with his hair and rubbed her chest against him.

He moaned as he started to move his hands around her body in a slow and sensual exploration. While Clockwork kissed her just as deeply and moaned as she messed with his hair, she would feel something pressing against her ass. Something very hard and erect. Dan nipped at the back of her neck as his hand moved up to cup and massage one of her breasts.

When Dan had gone invisible, he had moved around her and pulled his clothes off. He just hoped Aphrodite would let slide the bolt Liz had fired and missed Dan and had instead left a mark on the wall a little.

Clockwork ended their kiss and moved to take the nipple of the breast Dan wasn't playing with into his mouth to suck at it and every now and then nip at it playfully. His fingers moved to gently rub at her clit.

Blushing, Liz would tilt her head back against Dan's shoulder as she felt them playing with her. Moaning, her breaths would come heavy as her body tingled with pleasurable sensations. Her hips wiggled a bit as Clockwork teased her clit and her nipples would perk under the attention both men showed to her.

Dan licked his snake like tongue up the side of her neck and up to her ear before he nipped and sucked at her earlobe. Clockwork continued to rub her clit trying to get her as wet as possible. All the while he flicked his tongue back and forth over her nipple while holding it lightly between his teeth.

"Aah!" Her mouth would part as she panted heavily. Her hips bucking against Clockwork a few times with a whimper. Her toes would curl and relax as she reached behind her to hold the back of Dan's head with one hand, and used the other to hold the back of Clockwork's head. She felt pleasure stir mostly in her stomach as blossomed into a warmth that spread up to her chest and down between her legs. "Mmnh!"

Feeling that she might be ready Clockwork slowly started to slide a finger into her. While he did that, he nipped at her nipple, then sucked on it. Dan continued to tease her earlobe and neck. He finished with her ear after a few moments and focused on nipping and suck at the soft flesh just over her quickened pulse.

"Gaah!" She cried. Slightly yanking at Dan's hair as Clockwork slid a finger into her. She didn't focus on how it hurt, since his and Dan's fingers were slightly bigger than her own, and instead kept herself relaxed so it wouldn't hurt. Moaning, she spread her legs a little and would blush as she felt Dan nipping and sucking her neck above her racing pulse, causing her to blush.

Clockwork found the barrier inside Liz and pressed against it a little. He knew it would hurt when he broke her virginity, but he wanted to make it less painful and more pleasurable so he didn't go any further and instead pushed another finger in and scissored them to loosen her up. Dan left his mark on Liz's neck while his hand continued to knead and massage the breast that Clockwork wasn't nipping and sucking on.

Liz would yelp as he prodded her hymen and whimpered. Turning her head away as she closed her eyes tightly, she relaxed when he let up and instead cried out in pleasure when he began to scissor her. "Mmnh." Her eyes would open a little to look through her lashes with lust as Dan marked her with a hickey. Liz could feel her wetness dripping down her legs from her thighs and would blush brightly.

Clockwork saw how wet she had become and gently removed his fingers. He pulled away and started to undress and leave the clothes on the floor. He moved close and rubbed her womanhood with his member. Dan nipped at her neck, then picked her up. He was strong enough to hold her and part her legs a little as Clockwork carefully entered her. His member pressed against her hymen and then he pulled out before thrusting into her quickly to break through. While he did that, he kissed her hard and deeply while Dan nipped at the back of her neck.

Liz wrapped her legs around Clockwork's waist as she took a deep breath. Placing her hands behind Dan's head for support, she cringed as Clockwork slid his cock into her. Pressing painfully against her hymen. She would whimper a little before returning his kiss. Her whimper would become a muffled scream as he broke through her barrier with a quick and single thrust. She gripped onto Dan tightly as her eyes watered from the pain. Liz kept still for the few moments she spent just working through the pain. When it had eased up, she let out a slow and long breath relief as the tension in her hands loosened her tight grip on Dan.

Clockwork kissed her tears away and waited for her to adjust to him being inside of her even though he wasn't even nearly hilted. He controlled his urge to thrust though and went back to licking and sucking her nipple while Dan continued to hold her and suck at spots on her neck.

Liz would relax under their ministrations. "I-I'm okay now…" She pants. Opening her eyes to look at them. Her face would be flushed, almost pale, as she bled. But at least she would regain color from blushing or from what warmth having two bodies pressed against her could give. "Yo-You can move now…"

Clockwork nodded and pulled out a little, to push back in, finally hilting himself deep inside her.

Liz moaned as she arched her back. Her eyes fluttering close as she used her legs, wrapped around his waist, to hold Clockwork close as she could.

He continued to pull out and push back in while she held him close with her legs. While he worked on taking long and slow strokes, Dan continued to lick and nip at her neck, moving every once in a while to suck and nip at he earlobe.

Her head laid back against Dan as she shuddered from feeling his breath caress her skin when he nipped and sucked at her ear. Meanwhile the rest of her body was a writhing mess of pleasure from Clockwork thrusting into her, causing her already heaving breasts to bounce with every forward thrust as her breath came heavy. Wiggling her hips best she could, she would cry out as it made Clockwork hit something inside of her and from feeling herself rub against Dan.

Dan finally pulled her away from Clockwork and set her back on her feet. He then took her over to the altar and had her bend over so that her palms and her face were resting on it, but there was enough room for Clockwork to get onto his knees in front of her. Once in position, Dan thrust deep into her from behind while Clockwork started to nip and suck her clit.

Liz whimpered when Dan pulled her away from Clockwork. When she felt the marble beneath her feet, she opened her eyes in what looked like a drugged haze of lust. Legs wobbling, she leaned against him as he brought her the altar. Blushing as he bent her over it. Bracing herself with her hands on it's surface, she wiggled her hips teasingly as she spread her legs for him. Almost embarrassed, she watched Clockwork get on his knees in front of her as Dan's thrusted into her deeply. Crying out, she threw her head back in ecstasy. Her knees bending a little as she felt her legs threatening to give out while Clockwork sucked on her clit.

Dan put an arm around her waist to help hold her up and against him while he thrust into her deeply and quickly. He tried not to give into his urge to take her as roughly as he had taken Clockwork, Meanwhile, other said ghost started to lick from where Dan's cock was continuously being buried into her and back up to her clit, then back again. Sometimes he'd even end up licking the other member's cock if it was inside Liz at the time. Dan would shiver and buck into Liz a little harder.

"AAH!" Her breasts bounced against the altar from the harder buck. "Mmnh…." Pressing back against him with a moan, she'd quiver under Clockwork's tongue traveling from her pussy to clit and back. "Ha-Harder...I-I'm not going….to break!" She groaned, lowering her head against the cool marbled altar while sweat began to drench her body.

Dan grunted in response and was soon pounding into her as fast and hard as he could. Clockwork started to flick his tongue back and forth over her clit as he held it between his teeth. He would then lick from her clit down back to her occupied opening and back again, trying to keep up with Dan's thrusts and to pleasure her while Dan ravaged her.

Liz yelped and propped her upper body up so it wasn't pressing into the altar. Her hands gripped tightly onto the edge of the altar she had been bent over as she pressed back against Dan with every thrust he took. Clockwork's tongue was only serving to make her even more wet. Dripping in fact. Liz felt the familiar rise of her orgasm build in her stomach as her sopping cunt quivered and tightened.

Dan continued to pound her and Clockwork continued to lap up any escaped liquids from the both of them. As Dan continued to pound, he felt himself getting ready to cum. He grunted and leaned forward to bite down on her shoulder.

Liz gasped as her eyes shot open with a cry as he bit into her shoulder. Practically marking her as the bite bled. Her knuckles turned white as she tightened her grip. She was sure she was digging her palms into the side of the altar hard enough to make the marble cut into her hands at this point as she shuddered a little. Blinking her eyes, she'd lower her head and whine softly. "I-I'm gonna…" She groaned, closing her eyes. "I-I can't hold it!"

"Don't." Dan murmured. He was going to cum also and he wanted to do it with her. he held her tighter and pounded harder.

Liz shook her head a bit. She glanced at her bleeding shoulder and could only blush as she thought of her current situation the bite would come to represent. The feeling grew until she was whimpering. Pressing back down against him, Liz cried out his name as her body shook with the force of her orgasm around him. Her quivering pussy, though squirting her juices, was also milking him dry.

Dan moaned as he came hard just ramming himself into her as far as he could go before filling her to overflowing with his cum. He moaned and shivered as he felt Clockwork licking them both clean. Dan finally pulled out of Liz and stepped back. Clockwork stood to help steady Liz.

Leaning against Clockwork, Liz panted heavily as she closed her eyes. Her hair was sticking to her skin. Struggling to keep her head lifted long enough, she'd open her eyes with exhaustion. "C-Can we...sleep now?" She murmured. Liking the idea of laying down somewhere cool her burning body. She wouldn't have even minded if they just made her comfortable before getting Clockwork taken care of.

He nodded and picked her up to carry her over to a cool spot with some pillows. As he was about to lay her down, the temple seemed to change.. They were in a very large lush and beautiful temple as Aphrodite appeared.

"You three did so well, I decided to give you a gift. Welcome to one of my main temples. My shrine maidens will take care of your every need or whim. Enjoy the night." she said with a wink and a blown kiss before disappearing.

Dan blinked as he looked around. "Ooooo…..k." he murmured. A woman come over and started to lead him away for a bath in one of the man lavish springs. Another showed up and took Liz from Clockwork to take her to a place for her to be cleaned and to let her rest in the most comfortable of beds she had yet to see in her life. Finally Clockwork was led off to be taken care of and then a bath.

As Liz was taken away, she kept glancing back almost fearfully to Clockwork, since she had stared worried after Dan when he had been led off. The last two times the three of them had been separated, she'd gotten possessed and kidnapped. She was really starting to believe being separated from the boys was just bad luck. Being led to a bath, Liz looked down at the lavender scented water and then looked to the maidens as they helped her into the water. Despite being relaxed and soothed by the warm water, her eyes followed their every move as she kept quiet. The maidens didn't make any sudden or suspicious movements as they washed her body and hair before fetching her a light blue dress with beading done around beneath the breasts and back of the shoulders, attaching its train. Almost reluctantly, Liz left the waters to be dried and dressed before sent to bed with her brushed out and left done in a side braid that hung over her shoulder with two silver bands standing out in her hair.

It wasn't long that Clockwork and Dan would rejoin her wearing animal skin pants. They both smelled of different fragrant oils that were very masculine. Clockwork sat on the bed with a huff. He was exhausted from the day and needed the rest as much as she did. Dan flounced down beside her and laid down with a content smile.

Liz couldn't tell what had given him that content smile, but she was somehow sure it wasn't her or their earlier situation. Softly sighing, she closed her eyes and gave in to the feathery bed beneath her for the night. Eager to catch some much needed sleep now that she was safely reunited with the boys.


	22. The Haunted South

**Chapter 21**

**The Haunted South**

_**Warning! Graphic gore and violence! Read at your own discretion!**_

Overlapping voices drifted from somewhere close by. Liz stirred at the sound of singing and what sounded like orders being barked out. Opening her eyes, she'd find herself laying on the ground in a forest between Dan and Clockwork. A forest lying just beyond a plantation of cotton and tobacco fields. Curious as to where all the sound was coming from, Liz sat up and looked around. Trying to see if she couldn't find which direction it was all coming from. Looking down to the boys, she'd recall the content smile on Dan's face before quickly getting up to her feet. Lifting her gown over her ankles, she would walk through the forest towards the songs and voices until the woods started to thin and she could see the plantation. Pushing aside a few branches, Liz stood there. Watching people move through the fields as they sang. She was so lost in figuring out where she was and listening to whatever was being sung, that she hadn't noticed she had been seen till someone called out to her. Blinking, she'd turn her head to eye a young woman pointing at her and yelling. Gasping, Liz quickly moved out of sight before she could be seen by more people and went invisible.

She waited for the commotion to die down a little before she slowly emerged from the forest. Liz glanced behind her almost thoughtfully, like she was telling herself to go back to Dan and Clockwork. Shaking her head, she continued on. Silently moving through the fields unseen as she observed the men and woman, even a few children, picking things of white and what smelled like tobacco. Wrinkling her nose, she strayed away from the last thing. Two rows down from where she currently was, Liz turned her head as she heard yelling. Many of the people around her had stopped as if to watch, and she didn't know how anyone could just stand there while a tall, finely dressed white man with dark hair and almond eyes yelled at a young woman with a whip in his hand. Liz cringed as she heard the sound of the whip crack and the woman scream. "Ma! Ma!" She turned her head to look in disbelief as two little girls stood sobbing, being held back by other woman while their mother was beaten.

Looking back to said woman and the man standing over her, Liz glared and reacted quickly. As the whip was brought down on the poor woman, Liz lifted her arm. Catching the whip on her with a pained wince. The workers all gasped at her sudden appearance while the man looked thoroughly startled. "What do you think you're doing!?" Liz growled. Yanking the whip out of his hand as she threw it far to the side. The man tried to come up with a response while the workers whispered of her as a spirit. "Beating the help will not get your crops picked any faster! You can not expect them to just work with no rest in this heat and under this sun! For God sake, she is a mother! How can she be expected to care for her children if she too busy recovering from having the back of her flesh torn and bloodied under a man's cruelty!?" So lost in her rage, she hadn't even heard the whispers turn to the subject of her being an angel rather than a spirit.

"Leave these fields at once! If I ever see you so much as see you punishing another poor soul, I will make you regret the decision to ever touch that damned whip!" Liz growled fiercely. With a sense of satisfaction, she watched the man flee. Turning to the woman, she gave a softened smile as she held a hand out to her. "Are you alright, miss?" The slave woman looked up at Liz, this spirit or angel who had come from nowhere and saved her, and started crying. Nodding, she took her hand and was helped up to her feet.

**"****Bless you, child! Bless you!"**

"Please, there is no need to thank me." Liz said smiling. Stepping aside as her two daughters came running to hug and cry with their mother. Making Liz smile. "After all….such a horrible scene should not have to be witnessed by ones so young and small."

"Are you an Angel, miss?" Liz blinked and shook her head.

"I'm…." She looked around at all the faces staring at her, eagerly waiting for her answer. "I'm a guardian…" Was all she said as she smiled at them and 'vanished' with a light of gold, merely for show, as she simply turned invisible and quickly made her way back to the forest so she'd be there when Dan and Clockwork woke up.

When she got back to where Clockwork and Dan were, she'd find Dan laughing his ass off.

"Oh! That was some show! All…...ha….all you were missing was glitter puffing out when you 'disappeared'." he exclaimed while laughing. "You made….the makers of Touched By an Angel proud!" he continued laughing as Clockwork sat up rubbing his eyes.

"What is he going on about?" he asked.

Liz stopped in her tracks as she turned and looked at Dan in shock. "Where you following me!?" She snapped. Not use to being followed when she had been sure that she had left the two men sleeping. _How the hell did he even know how to find me?_ She thought to herself. Wondering if Dan had even been asleep when she got up. Hearing the forest debri shift under Clockwork as he stirred, she looked back to him. "Nothing!" Liz said quickly, shooting Dan a warning glare before looking away. Clearing her throat, she'd fold her arms over her chest. "We're somewhere in the South. Civil War times. There's plantations." She said. Grinning as she spoke with a perfect Louisiana accent.

Dan continued to laugh, but soon calmed down as he sat wiping his eyes. "Nice Cajun." he said as he stood.

Clockwork shook his head. No use in trying to figure out what had happened. The two weren't going to tell him. He started to stand before doubling over in pain with a gasp. There was almost a distant whispering like sound on the wind. As it started to get louder and more distinct everything around them seemed to pulse causing another gasp of pain from the Timekeeper. Small bits of his skin started to flake off like blue ashes, but instead of falling, they floated up and disappeared. Clockwork moaned and fell to the ground in pain.

"Clockwork!" Liz screamed. Her body frozen as her eyes watched in horror. It felt like she couldn't breath as she tried to internally scream at her body. Make herself move and help him. She looked around as what sounded like whispering on the wind grew louder and more distinct. She'd jump as everything around them seemed to pulse but it was the push Liz oddly needed. Running over to Clockwork, she'd fall down beside him and hovered her shaking hands over him. Not even sure what to do. "I-I don't….What's happening!?" She'd scream in distraught, turning her head to look at Dan for some kind of help before looking back to Clockwork.

Dan was just as surprised. In fact, he looked like he was too stunned to move. He quickly walked over and looked the other ghost over as Clockwork seemed to be dissolving. "What do we do, Clockwork?! What's going on!?" he exclaimed. "Dammit, if you're gonna get done in, I'm going to be the one doing it!"

Clockwork made a sound, but it was indistinct. He looked up at the two with pain in his eyes, then in an explosion of blue ashes, he disappeared. His clock and pendulum falling to land in the ashes left behind.

"**CLOCKWORK!"** Dan yelled as he sifted through the ashes flinging them out of his way as if he could find the ghost in them.

Liz shakily picked up the clock pendulum as a sob escaped her lips. Holding the items to her as her body shook, her eyes would take on a vengeful green glow as she looked off in the direction of the plantation. Were those slaves responsible for this? Had they done something that had taken Clockwork away from them? Taking a deep and shaky breath, as if to steady and calm herself, Liz would suddenly let out a loud and distraught scream/wail that was sure could be heard all the way from the plantation. Releasing a blast of power that seemed to pulse off her body as she did so. If the slaves were behind this...She'd find them and make them Bring. Him. Back!

Dan's eyes were blazing as he held on the the fists full of ashe. He was shaking with rage and his fangs were bared. "They'll….they'll pay for this…...they'll…...No one...is going to start…._TAKING_ thing away from me again!" he growled. He slowly stood up and looked towards the plantation. "Not without much destruction on their heads."

"Dan…" Her voice cracks. Lifting her head, she'd let her glowing eyes meet his. It'd have to be the first time Dan had ever seen so much hatred and rage from Liz. Memory would have shown that despite all the times she had ever been mad, she hadn't ever been angry enough to have that much hatred showing in her eyes. "Raze it to the ground." She growls. Surprising him. Never had she ever willingly given him an order to kill and destroy since the journey began. Not unless the situation absolutely called for it. Normally she'd be the calm one. Suggesting they investigate and do their research. Yet here she sat, crying and shaking. Hands clutching to the clock and pendulum. Rage and hatred burning in her eyes as she told him to go and kill, no, raze a plantation to the ground without a care for the lives that lived there.

While Dan and Liz plotted revenge, a woman stood in the attic of her plantation home looking down at the wooden slab where the ghost she had summoned lay motionless. One of her servants stood up, wiping ecto from his hands. "It's in." he said. He moved out of his mistress's way quickly so she could look at the work. The clock case of the ghost was still laying open, inside though, an obsidian and ruby clock ticked and kept time while the obsidian pendulum swung back and forth.

"Good. Now with the spirit of time under my control, my experiments can last even longer. Just think of the suffering." she purred. "Sometimes they just die to quickly, but with time at my control, their suffering will last forever. Intestines as belts or nailed to the floor, they won't die, and they will feel it forever."

Her servant was disturbed and disgusted by this, but said nothing lest he be added to her macabre collection. The woman reached down and caressed the spirit's face. "Rise up, Spirit of Time. We've much to do." she said. The ghost's eyes fluttered then opened. Their bright red now dulled down to an almost brown dried blood color.

Liz would not go with Dan to watch him end the lives of thousands on the plantations. Despite her blunt order to do so, she couldn't bring herself to watch the destruction she had ordered down upon them. Instead, she sat there where they had all woken up. Staring at his clock and pendulum with dulled eyes. Tears dripping down her face in silence. Placing the items in her lap, Liz gathered the blue ashes and secured them in a golden blue orb with the clock and pendulum floating inside it. Rising to her feet with the orb in her hands, she mindlessly walked towards the direction of the plantation to stand there at the edge of the forest and reluctantly watch. These people would learn just how vengeful a spirit could be.

A servant woman run up the stairs. "Mistress! Mistress! We got trouble. There's a fire headed demon flying our way and he look none too happy!" she exclaimed.

The woman raised a brow. "Oh?" she asked almost dismissively. She looked at Clockwork as he was sitting up. "Be a dear, Spirit of Time. Get rid of that demon."

Clockwork looked at her for a few moments, then went intangible as he flew out of the building. He flew pretty fast and slammed into Dan. This was a shock for Dan and he was sent backwards as he held whatever had just slammed into him. The two hit the ground close to Liz and went rolling.

Liz turned her head to look at the item and Dan before looking back to the plantation. Walking forward a few paces, she ignored the whispers and gossips of the slaves who had seen her just moments before. Lifting her head to look up at a window from the mansion, she turned her head and looked at everyone staring at them. "If you want to live…..run. Now." She said nothing else as she emotionlessly moved towards the house. She was sure that's where the item had come from. And that meant it had to be someone who knew how to do voodoo or some kind of magic. Magic….that had taken away someone **VERY** special to her and _VERY_ important to Dan. And if they wouldn't undo it, she'd kill them. And she wouldn't stop. She'd kill until Clockwork was returned.

She would hear the sounds of a fight behind her. Grunts from two very distinct voices as punches and kicks connected. Finally after a few moments it stopped. "Clockwork?" she'd hear Dan say.

She'd stop. A flicker of emotions show in her eyes as she turned to face Dan. Had she just heard him right? She looked around and felt disappointment that she didn't see the old ghost. If this was Dan trying to spare her from darkening her heart, it wasn't going to work.

He looked at her. "You don't see him?!" he exclaimed. "He's standing right….." he didn't finish as he went reeling back from a punch delivered to his jaw. She'd see flickering blue, black, red, and a dull almost brown red for a second.

Liz gasped as she saw something for just a brief moment. But quickly as it was there, it was gone. "I-I don't...see...Cl-Clockwork?" She asked softly. "I-Is that you?" Voice hoarse from her screaming, and cracking from her crying. Shaking her head after waiting a moment, she continued on towards the mansion on the grounds.

As she continued on, Dan was sent flying at her back. This time if she looked up after hitting the ground, she'd see him. He was hard to see unless the light hit him just right. Almost completely transparent, but it was him. His clock and pendulum were different and his eyes were very dull and lifeless. As he walked towards the other two ghosts, the grass under him died leaving a path. Dan growled as he stood up and helped Liz up.

"We need a plan here." he muttered. "I…..I uh…...Don't want to you know…..hurt him too badly."

Liz turned her head to look at him before turning back to look at Clockwork. It was him but wasn't. It was like….this Clockwork was evil. Evil and lifeless. Corrupted even. His eyes were too dull. He was transparent. Looking down at the orb in her hand, at the pendulum and clock with ashes. "...Then don't." She muttered. Walking towards Clockwork as if planning to meet him halfway, when really she intended to rip out the clock and pendulum currently inside him and shove the orb into him as she did.

The closer she got to him, the tireder she would feel. Looking at her hands, she would see the hands of an old woman.

Liz fought it. She tried to not let it bother her as she kept blinking her eyes. Shaking her head. Repeating her task over and over like a mental mantra. She'd do this even if it killed her.

Dan moved around behind Clockwork in case he needed to hold the man and keep him still for Liz to do what she was going to do. The closer he got, the younger he got. At one point, he couldn't get any closer because of feeling himself trying to split in two. He backed away with a growl as self preservation won out. So he did the next thing. He threw out an ecto bind to capture Clockwork around the waist, pinning his hands to his sides. Clockwork struggled and his concentration broke causing Liz to stop aging.

Thankful the aging had stopped, she shoved her hand into him. Gripping onto the clock and pendulum. Looking at her other hand, she shoved the orb into him as she tried to rip the items her hand had a hold of out of him.

He screamed in agony as she ripped the false clock and pendulum from him. Gouts of ecto sprayed, but hit the glass case since she hadn't opened it. Once his true items were back, they reattached themselves and with a groan, the Time Ghost fell to the ground. The grass around him went back to normal as Liz and Dan were returned to their rightful ages.

Gasping a few times, Liz closed her eyes and placed a hand over her chest as she adjusted to being young again. Looking down at an unconscious Clockwork, her eyes shifted to look at Dan. "Stay with him…" She murmured. Turning, she'd once again resume her trek for the mansion on the grounds of the plantation. Looking none too happy and ready to kill whoever had caused this to happen in the first place.

"Liz, no! You should stay with him. I don't want you staining your hands!" Dan called.

Liz ignored him. Her eyes would glow green as her hands blazed with golden energy. She walked up the steps of the porch and phased through the front door. It only took a few questions to get her pointed for the attic. Any slaves she passed on the way, Liz tells them run. She'd spare no one who got in her way at the moment.

In the attic she would find a house of horrors. The smell of rotting flesh and feces was almost overwhelming. There were women chained to beds with their stomachs cut open, and their intestines wrapped about their waists There were men with their eyeballs poked out and their private parts mutilated, all while being chained to a wall. Some slaves' intestines were nailed to the floor. There was a woman with her arms cut off, and patterns of her skin dug out. One person even had animal feces in their mouth, which was sewn shut. There were slaves who were emaciated, showing signs of being flayed with a whip, and bound in restrictive postures. Some even wore spiked iron collars which kept their heads in static positions.

The sight caused her to stop in the doorway. Her eyes were wide with horror. Covering her mouth and nose, she turned briefly from the room and emptied her stomach onto the floor in the hallway. Even when there was nothing left to throw up, she kept gagging and heaving. Gasping for breath a few times as she turned pale in a cold sweat. Shaking, she leaned on the doorway. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she braced herself. Entering the room with cautious steps, she looked around for the one responsible.

"Welcome. You are the one who ruined my plans? I had hoped to have had the Spirit of Time for a personal ghost for a very long time. It doesn't matter. I can always redo the incantation and get him back after I'm done with you. What should I do first to you, dear? Cut those large breasts off maybe? Sew your mouth up and leave you here to drown in your own puke? Both maybe? Hm. So many choices for a meddlesome bitch." Lalaurie said as she looked Liz over like a predator.

Liz didn't flinch under her gaze. As Lalaurie spoke, Liz just walked closer. Unafraid of this woman. She was far more afraid of what she could do. But her threats meant nothing for now. Because that's all they were. Threats. Threats meant to shake her. Unnerve her. Scare her. And she wasn't even flinching. "...You can die for me." Liz, who was practically right in front of her, told her, not bothering to hide her British accent. Without a second thought, Liz phased her hand through the woman's chest and grabbed onto her heart. "You murderous bitch….You do this to the slaves. To mothers and fathers. Sisters and brothers. Sons and daughters. And you don't even care...Do you ignore their screams as you torture them _**ALIVE!?**_" Liz shrieked. Squeezing the woman's heart.

Lalaurie gasped in pain, then whimpered. "Wa…..wait…."

"Can you feel their pain now!? You think you can just mess with spirits the way you have tried and failed, then you, Lalaurie, have a **VERY** terrible fate awaiting you down below." Liz pulled the woman close and leaned into her ear.

The woman whimpered more. "Th...this isn't…..isn't how things were suppose….to go…."

"You will be a prime example as to what will happen if a stunt like this is _EVER_. Pulled. Again." She whispered, ripping the woman's heart and dropping it to the floor as Liz turned and left the room. Knocking over a gas lit lamp in the hall. Breaking it and setting fire to the drapes. A fire that would eventually spread through the house and burn it, and its horrors to the ground.

Lalaurie didn't even have a chance to scream as her heart was ripped out. She just slumped to the floor dead. She would go up as her house went up. Though all did not burn and the fire was put out by fireman, she was said to have fled during the chaos. Of course her ashes were really among those she had tortured.

Dan was still with Clockwork when she returned. He had the other ghost up in his arms and holding him close while watching the house go up in flames.

Liz would stand there just looking out towards him and Clockwork. The backdrop of the burning house illuminating her figure and making it seem like her fiery red hair, which had blown into her face, was really on fire. Her eyes were still glowing and one of her hands was drenched in blood.

She could see Dan's face from where she was, his flame like hair illuminating his face. Was that sadness on his face? Sorrow? What was wrong with him?

While curious as to what emotion Dan was displaying, she looked away and out onto the gathering crowd of slaves as she walked back over to the boys. "Let's go…" She said softly. Lowering her head a little as she continued on back towards the woods. This was an awful start to their morning. But not everything could go smoothly. Something had been bound to give.

_As the three ghosts left, __the grounds of the plantation, the slaves would begin a story that day. A tale of vengeful ghosts that came from the woods. But there would be one ghost to this story would always stand out. Liz. And while none knew her name, and mothers made her out to be protectors for their children, while Dan was what awaited those who were led astray, many had seen her that day in front of the burning house. This beautiful and otherworldly woman with hair of fire and eyes of green, the likes none had seen before. Legends would say that she would come and burn the homes of the corrupted masters or mistresses. Other stories say the ghost Lalaurie had taken was a lover. Whatever the real story was, it would be lost to time as the world continued to turn and move on._


	23. Shocking Confessions

**Chapter 22**

**Shocking Confessions**

The trio walked in silence through the woods for miles and miles. Hours passed by and still nothing was said. They avoided civilization for the remainder of the day. Only silently agreeing to stop when the sun began to go down. Dan propped Clockwork up against a tree as he collected some rocks and firewood. Liz wandered off and found a small river to wash up in. When she got to the water and saw her own reflection, she felt sick. She was dirty and sprayed with blood. Blood that covered her hand up to her elbow. Her eyes went wide as she looked at her shaking hand. Sinking to her knees, she dipped her arm into the water with a small gasp. She began to scrub her arm furiously. Splashing and rubbing the water against her skin as she began to shake and sob. Eventually, she broke down into tears while her mind replayed the horrors of that morning.

When her tears had dried and she had cleaned off the blood, she cleaned her face to erase the evidence of any and all tears before leaving the water. She found some berries and brought them back to camp, but denied eating. The berries simply sat off to the side, waiting.

Night fell. Dan sat in front of the campfire they had built, looking into it distantly. Clockwork was still unconscious but didn't seem to be under the evil influence as he had become solid again. It'd be hard to tell until he woke up. Liz was on the other side of the fire away from the boys. Dan hoped she was ok, but after what had happened, he was afraid that the sweet innocent woman he had come to care for had been lost. He knew it was a double standard of some sort, but he felt that he was evil, and he was fine with that. That was his path. He didn't want anyone to suffer like he had though, and now he was afraid that an internal struggle might be going on with Liz. He'd have to try his best to help her and point her back towards the garish light he had long ago shunned.

Liz had her head lowered as she stared at her now cleaned hand. There was a small river not too far from the camp and Liz had scrubbed furiously at her hand in a private mess of tears and sobs. The sight of herself in that still water mirror had startled her. She had washed her face and rubbed her eyes before she went back to the boys and helped to scavenge food and wood for the night. But as she sat there lost in her own thoughts, the horrible images of that room flashed in her head as her hand twitched like it could still feel that woman's heart in its grasp. It was a sickening feeling and made her turn pale for a moment. Closing her eyes, she'd clench her hand tightly and take a few deep breaths to try and calm her stomach. She hadn't been hungry and had skipped out on food tonight, but she was sure there was still a possibility of throwing up bile if she lost it.

"Liz…."Dan said as he stood up and walked over to her. "We need to talk…."

"I'm fine…." Liz muttered. Opening her eyes as she folded her arms around her stomach and pulled her knees to her chest. "I will be fine….Just feeling a little sick."

"Bullshit!" Dan hissed harshly. "Why didn't you listen to me? I told you to come back. To sit with Clockwork! What do you do? You rush off to go do what would have been just as well for me to do! In fact it would have been better for us all if I had done it! Why are you so damn stubborn!? Why can't you ever listen!?" he yelled the last part out as he glared down at her.

**"WHY DIDN'T YOU!?"** She screamed, turning her head to look up at him. "We told you….We told you to give that stupid briefcase back to Lancer and you just couldn't do it…" She hissed.

"The fuck does that have to do with this!? That shit is old ass news!" he argued back.

"...You didn't see what I saw in that room. What she did to those poor slaves…She had it coming."

"You're right! She deserved it for fucking with Clockwork in the first goddamn place! You did not though! You weren't suppose to do that! That was something I should have done! You do _**NOT**_ want to go down this path!"

"Why do you even care!?" Liz sobbed. Standing up to nearly meet him in height.

"Because you're not suppose to be like me!" he exclaimed in exasperation.

"I'm not suppose to be a lot things! I'm not suppose to be the way I am! I'm not suppose to be the host to something old and ancient! I'm not meant to be part ghost! I wasn't even suppose to survive the day the accident happened!" Hearing the words from her own mouth seemed to shock her for a moment. Covering her face with her hands for a moment, she'd sniffle and run her fingers through her hair. Knocking the silver bands out as she undid the messy braid. "I was suppose to die at twelve years old….but someone very old, very kind, selfish, and the last of his kind saved me without knowing it." Liz sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Saying I'm not suppose to be like you isn't a good answer. Not for me…"

"Goddammit because I _**CARE**_! Ok!? Happy!? Good enough?! I care about the two of you! Only the two of you! You're all that matters and you're all that are keeping me from destroying this whole goddamn world! Is that enough!? Do I need to give more reasons!? I l-l-l…." he stopped talking and looked confused, then shook his head. "I-I l-l-love…..you two…."

Her eyes would go wide with a bit of shock. Had she heard him right? "Wh-What?" She murmured. Blinking her eyes as she listened to him stutter out a word she NEVER thought he'd ever say. "I...D-Dan…" Liz would poke him as if to be sure he was real then stepped back and turned back to the camp fire as she sat back down in disbelief. Her mind just couldn't wrap around this confession. Like it had to be more of a dream than something she had actually heard. "I-I ripped her still beating heart out of her chest while squeezing it…"

"Kind of got that impression." Dan muttered. "Just….don't….don't do it again. Promise me you'll leave razing, killing, and other sorts of destruction to me. Ok? Promise that."

Liz nods her head and looks up at him. "Promise…"

"..._Good_." he said before going to return to the spot he had been sitting. He didn't want her to see the slightly greenish blush on his face.

She gave a small laugh before laying down with her head on her arms. She kept her eyes on the fire until she got drowsy. Her eyes would keep closing and snapping open as she kept drifting between sleep and consciousness. Like she was afraid to sleep, knowing that what awaited her behind those closed eyes was nothing but a room of horror and gore. When she finally did close her eyes, she tossed and turned with her nightmares. She would whimper a few times and mutter something that couldn't be made out.

After a while Dan would walk over to pick her up and carry her back to where he and Clockwork were. He would lay her down, then pull them both close to him so he knew they were safe as he closed his eyes.

As if feeling him near, she settled down and finally seemed at peace for the night as she snuggled into him.


	24. Civil War in the South: The Haunted Hous

**Chapter 23**

**Civil War in the South: The Haunted House**

Night passed and the fire eventually died out. Morning light began to peek over the horizon as the sun slowly rose to the sky to take the moons place. A little after what must have been 8 or 9AM, Liz would groan. Nuzzling against Dan as she slowly opened her eyes. Blinking away the sleep, it'd take her a few moment to register that she had been moved from her original location. Blushing, she'd look up at Dan then at Clockwork. Her stomach felt a little sick but she was sure that was more to do with the lack of food and something to drink after being emptied the day before. Rubbing her eyes, she'd slowly free herself from Dan's hold and get up to her feet. Brushing off her greek gown, she'd head back to the river to splash water on her face and maybe see about catching a few fish to eat.

"Where are you going?" Dan asked as he opened an eye to look at her.

Liz stopped and looked back at him. "To the river. I don't feel so good and that's more than likely cause I didn't eat anything at all yesterday. Figured I'd eat, we clean up at the water, then find somewhere comfortable to lodge until we jump again."

Dan stretched and nodded. He then stood up and looked down at Clockwork. He bent down to shake the other man. When he didn't get a response, he sighed and picked Clockwork up, then followed Liz towards the river.

"You don't….have to follow me." She murmured. Rubbing her arm before lifting her gown above her ankles to make it easier to walk. Liz looked down at the ground to make sure she didn't step on anything that would hurt, Now and then she'd look up and glance behind her to make sure the boys were still with her. When they reached the small river, Liz knelt down by the water and splashed a handful onto her face. Scrubbing her the skin clean before wetting her hands and running them through her hair.

Dan walked up beside her and watched her. He then looked down at Clockwork. Smirking, he chucked the time ghost into the river. "Maybe that'll wake him up."

For a moment, Liz just sat there with her mouth open in shock. "Hehe….Hehehehe….Hahahaahaha!" She cover her mouth and ducked her head into her lap as she started full on laughing. It was such a mean thing to do, but it was also really funny. And a good laugh was something the three could desperately use.

Dan was laughing too until a few minutes past and Clockwork did not resurface. He slowly stopped laughing and looked at the river with a bit of concern. "Ok…..Any minute now." he muttered. Nothing. No bubbles, no resurfacing. Nothing. "Any second now….."

"Damn it!" Liz scrambled to her feet and dove in after Clockwork. The gown weighed her down a bit and stuck to her body, but with much struggle, she manages to swim down to Clockwork's still form. Grabbing onto him, she pulled him towards her and manages to get an arm around her shoulder. Now came the hard part. Getting to the surface. Liz kicked and kicked and fought against the weight of her gown until she finally broke the surface with a gasp. Coughing, she was dragged under for a second before surfacing again. "D-Dan!" She coughed, swimming towards him with Clockwork.

Dan was about to move when he was kicked in the back and sent into the river. The person behind him grinning. When Liz come up, she'd see a soaked Clockwork standing on the bank with his arms over his stomach as he laughed at the two. The split form body she had "rescued" disappeared. "I do….heh…..I do believe I have gotten payback on you both for that unceremonious swim Dan gave me."

Dan come up sputtering. "You…...You son of a bitch!" Dan exclaimed. The edged of his mouth twitched a little as he tried not to laugh.

"La-Laugh after you help me out!" Liz coughed, sputtering up water after getting sunk back under from the brief shock. "G-Gown is heavy!"

Dan swam over to get her, then swam them back over to the bank for Clockwork to help Liz out of the water.

Climbing out of the water with some help, she phased what water she could from herself then wrung out her hair and gown while chuckling a bit. "Now that we're all awake with a swim, shall we just try to find someplace to lodge and hope they have cornbread or something?" She asked. Looking up at them as she squeezed out water from her hair again.

Clockwork and Dan nodded as they both let the water off their skin and clothes via intangibility. Soon the three were on the move again looking for a place to bed down for the night. They had taken to the air to fly as far from the place of their collective nightmares as quickly as they could, Dan holding Liz as they went. Soon they were crossing states until finally landing over Georgia. Looking around, Clockwork spotted a house with soldiers rushing in.

"I do believe we are witnessing a home being taken by soldiers." Clockwork spoke.

"Soldiers would take over homes or plantations and turn them into fortresses during the war. Living rooms would become a hospital for the wounded. The dead would be placed down in the cellar. Left to be buried when they were not getting shot at." Liz sighed, frowning as she laid her head against Dan's shoulder. "The poor families...the homes just don't seem big enough, but where there is soldiers there are rations. That means food. And the home means clothes to blend in as 'ghostly casualties' and beds to sleep in at night."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Dan asked with a smirk as he headed for the house.

Liz looked up at him and grinned as she chuckled. Fondly shaking her head. He would be eager to go and mess with people in the only safe way they could. By causing a haunting. "We should mostly observe and interact when it's appropriate too." She said to them. Already planning on maybe speaking with a few soldiers. Perhaps those who were new to the battle field or have witnessed death in battle. Least she could do was make it easier on them.

They would enter into the house via intangibility and invisibility. Dan would set Liz on her feet and start to look around for anything they could use such as old clothing. Clockwork joined into the search as well. Finding an old dress he would take it and hand it to Liz before going back to look for male clothing.

Liz held the dress up against her before setting it aside as she took off her greek gown and hid it. Left naked except for the white laced underwear from Greece, she peeked into a closet and pulled out a skirt hoop with appropriate shoes. She laced up a corset, which was a whole new struggle thanks to her enlarged breasts, and had to tie it tight enough to stay up but not loose enough to not suffocate her. Slipping into the hoop skirt, she got the dress on and would look at herself in a mirror as she clipped it behind her. The gown was blue and had a white lace trimmed sweetheart neckline with white lace flounces at the puffed sleeves, which hung just off her shoulders. Running her fingers through her hair to brush it out, she would look around for a black ribbon or some kind of cloth before pulling her hair up into a comfortable low ponytail. Smoothing out the dress, she'd find some shoes and get them on while snatching a white flower patterned fan. "Do I look okay?" She'd ask with that authentic southern accent.

"Looks good." Dan said after having looked her up and down. Finding some old southern gentleman clothes he threw some to Clockwork before dressing in some himself.

Liz smiled and chuckled behind her fan as she watched them get dress. "Should try and find Clockwork a pocket watch for himself." She teased. Looking at them from over the top of her fan with just her eyes. "I'm sure we could snatch one off the gentlemen of the house or a poor soldier."

"Or here." Clockwork said as he dug through an old chest and come up with an old golden pocket watch.

"Now the look is complete." Liz said pleased. Folding her fan as she nodded her head. "Now then, I don't know about you gents, but I am starving." Liz would turn and head out of the room as she went invisible to explore the house and hopefully find the kitchen for anything to eat. She didn't want to have to steal any rations from the soldiers if she could help it.

The other two would split up to search as well.

As Elizabeth searched the house, she would look around at what was essentially the bathroom. Walking in, she would see a clear bottle with light pink liquid on the counter. A ball squeeze hose was attached to the bottle. Perfume. "Hm…" Picking the bottle up, she'd squirt it once into the air and sniff. "Roses…" Smiling, she'd spray a little bit at her neck and rub it into her skin with her wrists. Nodding, she'd leave the bathroom and decides to head downstairs. Passing a soldier in the hallway, she stops as he mutters something about smelling roses. Liz was still invisible and was sure she hadn't been seen. Turning around to face the young man, who couldn't have been older than nineteen, twenty at best, she studied him. From under his hat, she could see he had dirty blonde hair, short. The young man would turn in her direction and Liz held her breath. His eyes were a gorgeous amber color. He would look around then shrug and continue on his way in the hall. Leaving her unseen. Releasing her breath, she placed a hand over her heart and leaned against the wall for a moment. Fanning herself.

"That was close…" She muttered to herself. Pushing off the wall. Folding her fan, she would carefully take the stairs one at a time on the balls of her feet. Preventing the heels from making any noise.

"Excuse me, miss?" She froze. "Could you perhaps point me in the direction of the washroom? I'm afraid my friend is in need of bandages. He's been wounded." How was he seeing her?! Turning to face this new voice, she came face to face with a handsome older gentlemen, possibly in his thirties, with neat dark hair, chocolate brown eyes, and dressed in a fine uniform compared to the rest of the men. He was important.

"You….You can see me?" Liz asked him stunned. The gentlemen seemed rather confused by her question.

"Yes, of course I can, miss. Why would I not?"

"I-I'm not…." Liz shook her head before pointing up the stairs. "I-It's that way. I-I don't know where the bandages are." He gave her a dazzling smile and she felt her cheeks flush with heat.

"Thank you, kindly." He nodded his head and gently brushed past her while Liz fled outside for some air. _He saw me! How did he see me!?_ She thought, watching everyone else merely pass her by like she wasn't there. _I'm invisible, for goodness sake! How the bloody hell did that man see me?_

While Liz was going through that shock, Clockwork found himself in the kitchen. He smiled as he started to look around intangibly for something they could have. While he was doing that, two soldiers walked in talking. They couldn't see him, and as long as he stayed intangible, they couldn't touch him. He listened to their conversation quietly.

"How long are we going to be stuck in this place?" one young officer asked.

"As long as the captain has us here. It's not so bad. I mean there's only the widow and her daughter. Have you seen her daughter? She is beautiful." the other officer responded.

"I hope you're not planning to do what you did to the last girl you came across. You're lucky I didn't report you. You're lucky we're friends. What you did to her." he looked away and out the window. "I'm not going to be party to it. If something happens. I don't want to know about it. You understand me?"

"You are a spoil sport. Don't worry. I haven't planned on hurting the girl here. I promise." the first one said with a grin. His friend rolled his eyes and left the room.

Clockwork watched the young officer and smirked a little before becoming visible behind him. "I know what will happen if someone so much looks at my grandaughter wrong." he said in a southern drawl.

The young officer stiffened up and slowly turned to see the blue skinned red eyed ghost standing behind him. He gasped and might have screamed had Clockwork not grabbed him by the lapels. He shook the officer a bit for good measure.

"Now get ahold of ya'self, boy. I'm just saying that I'd hate for somethin' dreadful to happen to you. That's all." he let him go and brushed the officer's suit off. "Better scoot now. Don't want to hear nothin more about lookin at any girls in this house."

Clockwork couldn't help but snicker as the officer took off out of the kitchen in complete and total terror. He then went to find Dan and Liz to let them know he had found the kitchen and there was enough food for them to grab a little for themselves.


	25. How to Make A Ghost Jealous

**Chapter 24**

**How to Make A Ghost Jealous**

**This Chapter was written mostly by my co-writer, Kohana aka Uchiha no Kaori Go check out more of her work!**

After calming herself down from her mild scare, Liz went back inside and lingered in the family room with her hands folded in front of her and gripping her fan. She was looking at all the photos around the room. They would tell her an entire store. Like for instance, a family of four lived in this house. A young woman, a handsome man, a strapping young man, and a rather pretty young lady. This told her that a mother and father with their daughter and son lived here. As she heard the familiar voice of the finely dressed man coming towards the family room, Liz quickly left. Not wishing to make an uncomfortable scene for him since none of his men seemed to be able to see her. As she left the family room, Liz jumped as she nearly ran into Clockwork. "Any luck?"

"Yes. There will be enough for us to take a little for ourselves." he said nodding. "Have you seen Dan?"

Liz shook her head. "No. But he can't be far. He's got to be around here somewhere, terrorizing someone…." She said with a small sigh because she knew it was true.

Indeed Dan had a officer stuck in the basement causing knocks, and footfalls, whispering voices and strange shadows that contorted and turned to hideous monsters.

It only took the two of them following the loud ruckus of knocks and yells, demands to the poor widow, who was insisting the door had no lock, to get the basement door unlocked. Liz folded her arms over her chest as she just shook her head and moved up behind Dan. "Clockwork found the kitchen. Let's get some food while they're distracted." She whispered against his ear before lightly nipping his neck and retreating back towards the kitchen.

The nip to his neck had him shivering and grinning before he cast a few things about to haunt a few more minutes and keep the people distracted before following Liz back to the kitchen. "Good. Let's grab what we need and go."

"And here I thought you were enjoying yourself." Clockwork said with a chuckle.

"We can't go yet. There's...something I need to look into while we're here." Liz said, shaking her head a bit. Setting her fan on the counter, she would get herself something to eat.

"Oh?" both male ghosts asked looking at her.

"Yes." Liz said firmly, turning to face them with a bit of corn bread in her hand. "It might be nothing but I at least would like to look into it." She said, taking a bite of the bread. "One of the men saw me….and another could smell the perfume I found in the hall." She would blush as she recalled the rather handsome older gentleman she had run into moments ago.

Dan rolled his eyes. He didn't know if he liked this too much. Clockwork just blinked a bit. Was she thinking about this on a scientific level? No. She wasn't that kind of person and she was blushing. He made a face, then shrugged. "If it's what you want to do."

"It is. I'm rather curious as to figure how such things were possible. I mean the perfume thing is easy. I sprayed some in the air to get a whiff of it. It's roses. So it makes sense why he was able to smell it soon as I passed him. But the other one…" Liz would tilt her head a bit and look down at the bread in her hands. Breaking it in half, she would finish off her half and smile as she picked up her fan. "I need to know why he could see me…" She would smile and head out of the kitchen to the family room.

Dan let out a growl as he watched her go. Clockwork shook his head and leaned against the cupboard they had been taking food from.

Out in the family room, Liz stood quietly off to the side. Watching the gentlemen from earlier as he left the side of the soldier he had gotten patched up. Following him out into the hall, Liz smiled and lightly tapped his shoulder. "Thought you might be hungry." She said, handing him the bread. He smiled at her and took the bread with a smile.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Elizabeth…."

"Excuse me?"

"Elizabeth. My name is Elizabeth, but mama calls me Liz." She said, smiling. He chuckled and nodded.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Elizabeth. I'm Captain James Roth." James would take her hand and kiss the back of it, leaving her smiling and blushing behind her fan. "May I just say you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen."

"Now I know you're being too kind, Captain."

"Please, just calls me James. I was not aware Miss Redfern had two daughters." Liz guessed he was speaking of the widowed woman, the mother from the pictures she had seen. _So she lost her husband. But what of her son?_ Before she could answer him, one of his men was calling for him. James turned to answer him but when he turned back to face Liz, she was gone. The girl in question had slipped out of the hallway and out of sight for the moment. _I'm going to need a backstory at this point...That is Miss Redfern doesn't get word of her 'second' daughter first._ Liz thought, tilting her head back against the wall. _Oh, Liz...What have we gotten into now?_

"Can't just say, 'Hi, I'm a ghost'?" Dan asked as he appeared beside her with Clockwork not too far away.

"Jealous?" Liz asked teasingly, folding her hands behind her as she leaned back against the wall with a small grin. "Besides, where's the fun in that?"

"Hmph…." he grunted. "Of course not. Where's the fun in that? Why the look on his face when he runs screaming of course."

"Oh no….of course you're not jealous. I mean, what do you have to be jealous of against a handsome older gentlemen who is a captain, has gorgeous dark hair, and melt worthy chocolate brown eyes." Liz grumbled as she pushed off the wall and turned to face him. "And for your information, not everyone turns tail and runs screaming because they're scared of ghosts."

"I could make his eyes melt." he said thoughtfully. He then heard the rest of her tirade and gave a snort. "Do what you want." Dan grumbled as he turned and grabbed Clockwork's wrist, half dragging half leading the time ghost back the way they had come.

"Hmph….not jealous my arse…" Liz huffed, marching off in the opposite direction. While Dan and Clockwork did whatever they were doing, Liz was spending her time shifting through Miss Redferns things. Learning what she could. As it turned out, her daughter, Caroline, was all she left after losing her husband, who had been drafted, and son, a civilian casualty, to the war about two months ago. Sighing, she placed the telegrams back into where Miss Redfern had them before leaving the room. Lingering out in the hall, she'd stand before a window and look outside. Watching as tents were set up a campfire was made for tonight so that those who would take shifts on guard duty would have a way to combat the chill of the night.

"Miss Elizabeth. I had wondered where you had gone off to."

"Forgive me, Captain. I did not wish to intrude on whatever it was your men need to speak to you about. Surely it was important." She said, smiling a little as she turned to face him.

"Trivial matters. I was hoping if you would not mind a walk with me, ma'am."

"A walk? Is it safe for such a thing?" She asked with faked worry. Opening her fan to hide some of her face.

"Not to worry, ma'am. You will be protected on these grounds. There's enough eyes around to spot the enemy before they could so much as load their musket." James said, offering her his arm. Smiling a little to herself, she'd fold her with a _snap!_ and place her hand on the crook of his arm.

"Then I'd be delighted, James." She said. Lifting her skirt a little over the heels of her shoes as she walked so as to not accidently step on the beautiful dress.

Dan sat on the roof of the house grumbling as Clockwork sat near and watched the sky. "It's not like she'd choose to stay here with him. She doesn't have a choice anyway. Why is it bothering you?" Clockwork asked.

"It isn't bothering you!?" Dan exclaimed.

"Well…..she likes you better…...I mean you two seem closer, so….I don't let it bother me." Clockwork reasoned.

Dan rolled his eyes and then closed them as he layed back on the roof with his hands behind his head.

Liz would laugh as she walked alongside of James and talked with him. He received a few odd looks as it appeared he was speaking to himself while appearing to escort someone. Others didn't even look twice. For Liz this was interesting and made her feel guilty. "Tell me about yourself Miss Elizabeth."

"Me? Oh, I'm no one special…I'd much rather hear about you and how such fine gentlemen such as yourself came to be where you are." She said, looking up at him.

"Aah. I lost my son and wife to childbirth a year ago. I figured I had nothing left to lose when I retook my post."

"So you retired when your wife was with child." James nodded. "I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, but I am well over it."

"Are you?" She asked. James turned his head to look at her. "A loss like that is not something a man such as yourself heals from easily. And I am sure that having to watch all these other men, sons and fathers and husbands, die doesn't help." James looked forward in thought.

"Perhaps you are right…" He murmured, getting lost in his thoughts as they continued their walk.

"May I inquire as to how old your wife was?" James gave a soft, reminiscing smile.

"She could not have been any older than you, ma'am. She was a beauty. Pale blonde hair with beautiful green eyes. Such soft and fair skin...Katherine was her name. I sometimes imagine our son would have looked more like his mother."

"She sounds beautiful. I bet your son would have been a handsome combination of you both, James. And I think your lovely wife would have wanted you to move on from such a tragedy." James looked at her and nodded his head.

"Yes, ma'am she would." He said, gently giving her hand a squeeze and a pat as they carried on. Neither of them aware of the eyes that had been watching them from the roof.

Dan watched some after he had finally sat back up. He growled more and looked away. "I didn't know she liked pretty boys."

"You're going to let it eat at you." Clockwork said as he watched. He felt a small twinge of jealousy himself, but like he said before, Dan was closer to her than he was.

Eventually, James escorted Liz back to the home and with a kiss to the back of her hand, went on his way to look over some maps and plan out their next travel route. Liz would blush softly as she watched him go off then looked to the side as two soldiers passed by her. "Have you heard about Widow Redfern's second daughter?"

"Yeah, I hear she's a real looker." They chuckled.

"Heard the captain has taken a liken to her." The young man said with a grin.

"I reckon he might just have that beauty in his bed tonight." She heard them laugh.

"Lucky bastard." His friend grumbled.

"More like poor, sad son of a bitch." The other officer turned to his friend curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I heard Jenkin had the wits scared outta him by them girls granpappy." Liz arched a brow with amusement before shaking her head as she drowned out their now fading conversation in favor on reflecting what she had learned so far.

"Are you done fucking around?" Dan asked as he and Clockwork showed up beside her again.

"You do realize you are more or less asking if I am done spreading my legs for every man here." She hissed, glaring at him slightly. "Nice to know what you seem to think of me." Turning, she'd brush past him as she opened her fan. "But yes, I am finished gathering the knowledge I sought. As it turns out, he sees me cause I am closer in age to his young lady wife whom he lost with his son to child labor. Experiencing a loss like that plus the death of all these men, has opened his psyche."

"Great….can we go now?" Dan asked. He had been going to yell at her that she knew good and damn well he hadn't meant she'd been spreading her legs, but if she wanted to take it that way let her. He couldn't win with her anyway.

"You are as impatient as a child, Dan..." Liz sighed, stopping to look over her shoulder at the boys. Blocking part of her face away behind her fan. "Okay...where would you like to go?" She asked, eyes watching from over the top of her fan and shoulder.

"Anywhere but here," Clockwork spoke up. "Even I tire of this location."

Liz couldn't help but to laugh. "You two are so jealous!" She would tease, walking over to them and grabbing their hands. Soon as their hands connected, golden light would surround the trio. With a flash, they were gone. Off to another time and place.


	26. Medieval Time: Camelot

**Chapter 25**

**Medieval Time: Camelot**

**This is another chapter mostly written by my co-author Kohana aka Uchiha no Kaori**

Appearing in room with royal red curtains hanging from a bed, a wooden dresser, and a table in the center of the room with a single chair, Liz let go of their hands to look around. Moving over to the window in the room, she looked out onto the ground marble white grounds of Camelot. Brushing strands of hair from her face, she would grin as she saw the market and homes of peasants just beyond the courtyard. Covering her mouth with a pleased giggle, she rushed out of the room without a word to the boys. Liz explored the halls without being seen till she saw a servant girl leave a room. Waiting some moments for the girl to be gone, and the hall empty, she slipped into the room and stripped off her southern bell clothing except for the corset. Taking down her hair as she did so.

Looking through the dresser in the room, she would pull out a royal blue and tan dress that had flowers embroidered on the bodice and the sleeves. The dress itself laced up in the back and had a square neckline with 3/4 length sleeves. Liz found heels to match and slipped them on as she smoothed down the dress. Brushing out her hair, she'd pull it back into a braid and look around. Smiling as she saw a beautiful silver circlet set with a centerpiece of sapphire. The circlet had five medium Celtic Trinity Knots, which float around the stone, as the silver wire weaves down into a braided effect on her forehead from the Trinity Knots, allowing the headpiece to be secure and sturdy. The last thing she did was in add blue gemmed earrings and a bracelet of onyx, crystals, and lapis. And Liz examined herself in a mirror, she thought she looked the part of royalty.

Nodding, she quietly slipped out of the room and looked around before becoming visible. Holding her head high, she walked the halls of Camelot in search of her boys. Hands folded in front of her, resting lightly on the skirt of her dress.

Dan was aggravated to almost being pissed off. "She doesn't give a shit about no one but herself. Just run off without a fuckin word not knowing where we are or even if it's safe to split up. Just fuckin up and leave!" Dan exclaimed as he paced back and forth.

Clockwork wasn't too happy either. He had noticed the golden light around them. This was the first time it looked like someone had purposefully time jumped. He wanted to ask her about it but as soon as they had ended up here she had run off like a child running for an ice cream truck. He wasn't as mad as Dan though and let the other man rant as he leaned against a wall. He knew Dan cared deeply for Liz and just wanted to protect her, and her running of alone meant they couldn't protect her. He also knew the girl probably wanted her own space. She was the only female after all. It was all a very difficult situation for all.

As she neared the room, Liz stopped out in the hall to look out a window. Spying a very young Arthur out in the courtyard with the guards practicing. A poor young man who had to be eighteen with short dark brown hair was running around as the poor target for Arthur. "Merlin…" She murmured. Hearing voices behind her, she would look over her shoulder to see a woman of color and beautiful dark haired girl coming their way. "Gwen and Morgana?" Liz quickly moved from the window to slip back into the room the boys were in. Leaning against the closed door once she was inside the room, she listened to the two women pass by softly chatting. When the echo of their voices faded, she pushed off the door and walked over to the boys. "It's Camelot! And Arthur isn't king yet." She told them excitedly.

"Yaaaaaay….." Dan muttered.

"This may not be good." Clockwork spoke.

"And why not?" She pouts. Placing her hands on her hips as she pouted, biting her bottom lip.

"Before that….did you purposely transport us through time? I mean I don't think you have control of where we may go, I just think you may can leave places when you are ready to leave them." Clockwork said.

"Maybe….It could have been more on Gillie reacting to the desire to leave." Liz tells him. Shrugging her shoulders. "What does it matter? You guys agreed anywhere but there and now we are here. Come on! This is history! In the days before Arthur was king! I even saw a young Merlin!" She cheered, flopping down onto the bed and keeping herself propped up by her elbows.

"Merlin...hmmm…..it's been a long time since we spoke. I wonder if we have met already or if this is a time before." Clockwork murmured. He then shook his head. "We still need to be cautious. There's a lot of magic around here. It could be dangerous for us."

"Yes, yes. I know. Uther disliked magic and believed it to be evil." Liz got up from the bed and kissed Clockwork's cheek with a smile. "I'll be careful!" Liz gave an excited squeal and headed for the door again.

"Dammit wait for us." Dan growled as he followed her out. Clockwork shook his head and started to follow then stopped. "Hm." he murmured before leaving the room, but heading in another direction. He wanted to see about something.

Liz chuckled and grabbed Dan's hand. "Come on, come on!" She said, tugging on him as she led him through the maze like halls in hopes of getting down to the courtyard so as to observe the blossoming friendship of Merlin and Arthur. Plus the muscled knights. That was a big plus. She hoped some of them were topless.

He allowed himself to be dragged along by Liz though he had an annoyed look on his face the whole time. Dan was still unhappy with her having run off alone before and he wasn't over it yet.

As they got down to the courtyard, it seemed they were arranging a hunting trip. "Prince Arthur!" The messy blonde haired and blue eyed young man of twenty, turned to face her. Arthur had never seen her before yet she was dressed with status. He didn't question the man she was pulling along. Simply assuming him to be a servant.

"My Lady." He walks away from his men and Merlin. "Forgive me, I've never seen you before yet you seem to know me."

"You wouldn't. I only just arrived. My name is Elizabeth. I'm from a kingdom very far from here."

"A pleasure, Princess. Forgive me, but my men and I were just getting ready to set out on a hunt."

"A hunt? May we join you?" Arthur seemed hesitant. He would look behind him to his men then at her.

"It could be dangerous." Liz gave a small grin as she looked at Dan.

"I'm very used to danger. Plus I am more than confident in the ability of that of you and your men to keep me safe." She said almost teasingly. Truly, it was not their strengths or ability to wield a sword that she was relying on to be kept safe. But that of Dan's power. The one constant thing she's had since their journey began. It was almost frightening how much Liz found herself relying on Dan and Clockwork lately. Even more so after Dan's confession. Arthur sighed but gave a reluctant nod.

"Very well, but I beg of you to stay close, Princess." Liz nods and walks back over to the small group with him. Unaware that Merlin had been looking at her oddly while seeming to curiously study her from where he stood. Spear and crossbow in hand.

_"You and your men…."_ Dan thought to himself. He figured that meant that she didn't need him. _"To her this was all a grand adventure to run into men she thought were good looking."_ He gave a snort and pulled away. Looking at her for a moment, he made a "Tch" sound and turned to walk away. "Go have fun."

Liz turned and looked at him. Arthur seemed appalled that a servant would speak to her in such a manner. "How dare-"

"Leave him!" Liz said quickly, waving him off. Not wishing rude comments to spark a fight. "He is like that all the time." She muttered, upset that it came down to her depending on these mortals for protection after all. Arthur shook his head and looked at her.

"Should get yourself a better manservant, m'lady."

"What, you mean one like yours, sire?" Arthur snorted and looked at Merlin.

"No….Better." Liz laughed and took an offered cloak from Sir Bedivere.

"Thank you, sir." She bowed her head and put the cloak on. Lifting the hood over her head as she left with Arthur and Merlin. Liz would conveniently find herself placed between the two beings of legend as they passed through the gates of Camelot

Dan's eyes were blazing. He was tired of being flung around time. He was tired of being made to play nice, and he was tired of not being able to do what he wanted. He looked up at the castle he was in and smirked. He wasn't going to just sit here while she run off to play princess. He started to gather a blast in his hand, rolling it around from time to time as it grew larger and larger. Pulling back his arm, he launched the blast at the nearest wall and watched as it exploded into dust and cinders falling around to catch tapestries on fire. He was starting to feel better already.

"Daniel, what are you doing?" Clockwork asked as he appeared behind the other man.

"Therapy." Dan growled before starting to gather another blast.

"Stop!" Clockwork said grabbing his arm. "If you continue this we'll end up surrounded by guards!"

"Good. Moving targets." Dan said yanking his arm free. "Don't get in my way, Clockwork. You'll get hurt."

Out in the forest, unaware of what was happening within the castle, Arthur, Liz, Merlin, and five of Arthur's knights, were silently tracking a rather large beast that had been sighted just moments before when they first entered the forest. No one had been able to make out its features or see what kind of monster it had been. Arthur was an excellent hunter for a Knight and a Prince. It didn't take very long for them to find where the beast had gone. Keeping low to the ground, Arthur turned his head and held out his hand to Merlin. "Merlin, spear." Merlin half turns to hand it to him and drops it on his hand instead. "Do you have any natural gifts Merlin?" Arthur grumbled, picking up the spear as Liz quietly laughed.

"No. Well, let me think. I'm not naturally rude or insensitive."

"Just naturally irritating." She found their bickering rather amusing. The group move forward and soon heard growling noises. For a moment, Merlin looks frightened, and Arthur is quick to catch Merlin's expression. "It's probably more scared of you than you are of it."

"That would be true, if it was something smaller than us…" Liz whispered, shrinking back behind the two a little. Arthur signals to his knights where to go. Two men to the left, and two to the right. But that's when the Questing Beast, a creature with the head of a cobra and the body of a cheetah or a leopard, least that's what Liz thought it looked like, jumps out at them. Liz would scream, actually terrified of such a large beast as Arthur drops his spear and grabs her hand as they all take off running. Merlin would trip and fall. "Merlin!" Arthur looks back behind them and momentarily releases her hand as he and Sir Bedivere help him up. The three take off running as Bedivere subsequently falls chasing after them.

After getting a good distance away, the remainder of the group stop to catch their breath. "What was that!?" Liz screeched, shaking a little as Merlin asked, "Have we lost it?" Arthur looks at them, subconsciously looking them over for injury, before looking to the rest of his men with a head count.

"Who's missing?" The statement has Merlin looking around with Liz.

"Where's Sir Bedivere?" No sooner had Merlin asked, Sir Bedivere is heard screaming in the distance.

"Think it's time we get back…" Liz said, lightly grabbing onto Arthur's arm. The prince nods and sets out back to Camelot with them.

Dan was not listening as Clockwork pleaded and begged for the man to stop blowing the castle apart. He even tackled the other ghost man and the two struggled with one another for a bit until Dan ended up on top of Clockwork and punched the other ghost until he was almost unconscious. Dan was in one of his uncontrollable rages and he would have continued to beat on the other ghost until Gillie finally put a stop to it, blocking all of Dan's powers and causing the angry ghost to double over in pain as he rolled off of Clockwork. The commotion would have drawn the attention of several guards. And after much struggle, the two were brought to face Uther. A visit that ultimately ends with Clockwork in the Physician chambers and Dan down in the dungeons.

"I-I'm ok. I...he didn't...he wasn't himself." Clockwork murmured still a little senseless from the pounding. "He'd never hurt us. He...he has a problem with emotions and…" Clockwork blinked, or tried to with one eye almost swollen shut. "Heh….I sound like an...old battered wife….but he really can't…...he can't control it."

Gaius, an old but still lively man, and the physician, arched a brow as he took care of Clockwork. Despite the disguise the old Ghost wore, even Gaius, an ex magic user, could see that he was more than he and the other gentlemen seemed to be. Gaius couldn't help but wonder what he meant by 'us' when the guards had said it had only been the two. Gaius wouldn't have the chance to ask, as Merlin and Liz came rushing in at that exact moment. "Gaius! The king has asked to-"

"Clockwork!" Liz gasped. Rushing over to him as she threw her hood down.

"Merlin, who is this?" Liz looked up at the physician.

"My name is Elizabeth…" She looked back down at Clockwork with a frown. She didn't have to ask what had happened. She knew who could damage him this badly. Holding a hand over the old ghost, she'd slowly run it along his body. Reversing the damage. "And we're ghosts…" Merlin and Gaius seemed shocked over this, but there was no time to currently discuss it. With a firm order for both beings to stay here, Gaius and Merlin went off to the king's council chambers.

Clockwork sat up after she had reversed his wounds and reverted to his true form. "He got carried away, Liz. He was upset. He didn't mean for me to get hurt. He never would. Not anymore. I'm sure. He…..he's in love with you." he murmured the last part. He then shook his head and smiled. "I found Merlin's book that let me summon a few things. I was able to get my old clothes back from where we left them in London. Yours and Dan's also. I hid them in the room we appeared in."

Liz sighed and covered her face in her hands. "I know, I know….And he shouldn't be." Liz lowered her hands, not willing to upset the way her hair and the borrowed circlet were placed. "I keep trying to distance myself. From him….from you. Only just enough so that I'm not in this triangle...When I go home, when these adventures are said and done...I'm going back to an entirely different reality. One that already has both of you in it and neither of you are mine in the sense that you are now." She gave a sad smile and looked away. "He needs you more than he does me. You'll be the only thing he has left when I return home. And that's just the way it has to be…"

Clockwork shook his head. "When we return, if things go the way you think, it would mean, I'd have to try and find a way to contain him once more."

"Not if Gillie remains inside him, but then again it wouldn't be fair to the little guy…" Liz sat down beside him and looked down at her hands in her lap. "There's….no other choice. I just can't...I have friends and your son...he's such a little tyke but he...I can't leave him. And traveling between realities can be dangerous and damaging to the fabric of time."

"So…...what do we do then?" He murmured. Surely there was some loophole. Something that could be put into their favor. He then blinked a few times. "There are different ways. We could be in a completely different timeline now. We don't know. There could be one where you did stop Dan and I from fighting over my staff. And if you did, that version of you has returned home in your place." Clockwork said, thinking out loud. "We would not have seen it was going to happen because we can not see our futures. And so technically, we could be the anomalies. The other versions could be spinning off in many different directions. Time is not a straight line. It always branches. There are so many what ifs that create other dimensions and different time lines. I'm babbling. Am I babbling?"

Liz was giggling as she listened to him babble on much like someone she knew. "Its a huge IF, Clockwork...one that we don't certainly know. It would be wrong to give false hope. For now...the safest thing would be for me to distance myself. But that doesn't mean you can't step up in my absence as you should have been from the start. It's not just me he's fallen for here." She smirked and placed a hand on his face. Stroking his cheek with her thumb. "I'll keep a focus on getting us all back to your tower. You can get close to Dan if you wish. We can see where it goes from there I suppose."

He sighed and put his hand over hers. "He wants you…..I'm just…." he shook his head. "The more you try this…...distance thing, the more angry he is going to continue to be." Clockwork looked down. "We need to go see about getting him out of the dungeons."

"Leave that to me. In the meantime, know this…" She lifted his head by his chin as she smiled. "You are no more special to him than I am, nor is he any more special to me than you are." She would gently kiss him as she ran her fingers through his hair before pulling back as Gaius and Merlin walked in.

Clockwork was surprised by the kiss and the touch of her fingers in his hair. He let out a small moan before kissing her back. He heard the two men walk in though just as she pulled away.

"This is no ordinary beast, Merlin." She heard Gaius say, turning her head to look over her shoulder at them.

"Don't worry."

"No, listen to me, you don't understand. Uther may not respect the Old Religion, but it is very real. To face a beast such as this, you must understand where it came from."

"What do you mean?" Liz inquired curiously. Gaius looked at her and Clockwork.

"At the very heart of the Old Religion lies the magic of life and death itself. The Questing Beast carries that power. One bite, you die, and there is no cure."

They would see Clockwork in his true form, but the old ghost didn't seemed bothered by it. instead he asked, "Questing Beast?"

"It was so strange and scary, Clockwork! It had the head of a cobra with body of a...a mix of a leopard and a cheetah! And it was huge!"

"I see." he said nodding.

"There's more. Arthur has been ordered to ride out at dawn with a handful of men to take out this beast."

"He'll be killed!"

"I'll be there to protect him, my lady." Liz sighed and shook her head.

"Merlin, would you be so kind as to escort me to the dungeons? I'm afraid my uh...well my friend, or manservant as Arthur so kindly called him out his hearing range," Liz chuckled a little, "has caused a bit of trouble and found himself there. I need to get him out."

"Only if you agree to tell me about yourself."

"Done." Liz would pull the hood of the cloak back up as she left with Merlin to retrieve Dan.

Gaius watched them leave and then looked to his patient. "You are looking better already. If I didn't know any better I would say that you and the young sorceress are quite different from the rest of us."

"We are a type of temporal ghosts." Clockwork explained.

"Ghosts of time?" Gaius mused. Walking over to take Liz's seat next to him. Glad to be resting his weary bones. "I am a man of science...Until today I did not think ghosts existed." Gaius groaned as he sat down. "And what of the young sorceress with you? She does not give off the feeling you do."

"She is only part ghost. She only has one foot in the grave, so to speak." Clockwork said with a chuckle.

Gaius chuckled and folded his arms over his chest. "That would certainly explain the spark of life she seems to have compared to you, my friend." Gaius would get up and begin to prepare a late meal for them all.

"Yes, well, we all have our moments of feeling more alive. Would you care for some help?" Clockwork asked.

Meanwhile down in the dungeons, Merlin, who after having a brief scare of her being part ghost and a 'sorceress', as she called herself for the moment, was using his magic to keep the guards distracted long enough for her to slip by and down to Dan's cell before casting a sleeping spell on them. The guards, come morning of course, would simply assume they had a bit too much to drink and simply passed out. Walking down to Dan's cell, she would push the cloak's hood down as she phased through the bars. "You have no problem misbehaving while I'm gone and yet you have not yet bothered phasing through those cuffs or these bars. Why?"

"Didn't…..really feel like it." Dan muttered as he kept his face directed towards the floor. His long black hair having fallen from it's holder now concealed his face. "He ok?" he muttered.

Liz nodded her head and walked over to him. "Yeah...He was in bad shape when I entered the physician's chamber, but I fixed him for you." She said softly, reaching up to touch his cuffs and phase his hands out of them. "I shouldn't have gone off like that...He wouldn't have gotten hurt if you hadn't grown so attached to me." Liz muttered. Lowering her head a little as she freed him.

"It was nothing you did…..just...lost my cool was all." Dan muttered as he rubbed at his free wrists. "Don't worry about it. Thanks for watching over him."

"Someone has to keep in shape for you…" She said, smiling a little before hugging him. "I'm sorry, Dan...You only got upset because you got jealous, and don't say you didn't…" She gave him a squeeze before letting go and moving over to the bars. "You got jealous because I've been trying to distance myself since your confession. Since the pirate ship actually...I figured, if I didn't get attached, it would hurt less when we all got home and have to go our own ways." Liz told him. Lightly touching the bars to make them intangible while holding a hand out to him so they could phase through.

When she hugged him, he hugged her back lightly. "I…." he closed his mouth and shook it before taking her hand. "I guess….I should apologize to him…" he murmured. He didn't want to think of them all being separated. He was worried though that through his actions and his rage that he may have pushed them both away. He didn't know what he could do to make it up to the time keeper.

Liz phased them through the bars and but held onto his hand as she pulled the hood back up. She didn't say anything else as she joined Merlin on the stairway. "Is he…?" The boy points to Dan and Liz just nods. "...Right then." Merlin breathes, turning as he led them back towards Gaius's chambers.

Dan was quiet as he followed along quietly for once. He still kept a firm grip on Liz's hand.

When they got back to the Physician's chambers, she waited for Merlin to be sure the door had been locked before removing the hood and nudging Dan towards Clockwork as she went over to Gaius with Merlin to help serve their dinner.

Dan sighed. He hated apologizing. Even when it was necessary. "Uh….hey." Dan said as he transformed into his true form.

Clockwork nodded. "Daniel." he said.

"Look…..I'm…."

"Do not worry about it. It's not a big deal." Clockwork spoke up interrupting Dan. "Liz was able to heal me. I know you were upset. I know you wouldn't mean to do that to me." He said as he walked over to Dan. Then before anyone could say anything, and before Dan even registered Clockwork was going to do something, Clockwork slugged Dan hard across the jaw causing the man to stagger back in surprise. "And now we are even, and it can be forgotten." He said turning and walking over to the others.

Dan rubbed his jaw as he watched in shock. He then chuckled and nodded. "Ok then."

Even Liz found herself in shock, although having cringed when Clockwork hit him. Blinking, she'd look at a slightly frightened Merlin and give a sheepish laugh. "Yeah….they're like that…." She muttered to him. Walking past him to bring Dan and Clockwork a bowl of the stew Gaius had made. "I know it isn't much compared to what we have been eating lately, but here food is scarce...We'll have to make due."

"It's fine." Clockwork said taking the bowl. He then gave a slight bow to their hosts in gratitude. Dan took his bowl and also bowed. He was playing it safe and being polite. He didn't want Clockwork to get pissed off again. Not that he was scared of the other ghost. He just didn't want to piss him off.

Liz placed a kiss on his cheek and fondly ruffled Clockwork's hair as she took her bowl with a soft thanks and sat down with them. Merlin sitting over on her right and Gaius across from him beside Clockwork. Leaving Dan on her left. And as Liz looked at the scene, she smiled. At least for tonight...things were somewhat at peace.

Clockwork chuckled and ate his soup while Dan just quietly swallowed his almost whole.


	27. Le Morte d'Liz

**Chapter 26**

**Le Morte d'Liz!**

_**Another chapter mostly written by my co-author Kohana aka Uchiha no Kaori**_

The next morning, Liz was up at dawn. She'd lay there in her place for a few moments before getting up and leaving for the courtyard with the only goal in mind being that of convincing Arthur to not go and face this beast. As Liz got to the courtyard, she'd find the crown prince, with Merlin standing at his side, giving a speech to his men. "You've seen the foe we face. It's a creature of nightmare, but you are the best knights in the realm. We can, and we will, kill it before it harms another citizen of our kingdom." Arthur would draw his sword as she watched on in awe. "For the love of Camelot!" The knights would draw their own swords as they took up the cheer.

"For the love of Camelot!" Liz smiled a little to herself before stumbling as the lady Morgana rushes out of the palace in her nightgown, hysterical.

"Arthur!" The prince would turn to face her in shock.

"Morgana, what are you doing?"

"You cannot face this!" Morgana cried as she tries to grab him. Arthur struggles with her. Trying to free himself from her.

"Morgana, go back to bed. There is nothing to be afraid of."

"Please, Arthur. I have seen terrible things! You cannot go!"

"She probably had a bad dream, Sire. I'll take her to see Gaius." Merlin said, coming to the prince's aid of freeing him from the girls hold.

"No! I will not let you go!"

"Please, Merlin, get her inside."

"No!" She screamed as Arthur hands her off to Merlin and motions for the guards to come down. Merlin guides Morgana up the steps towards Liz.

"I will make sure he's safe, My Lady. I promise."

"No!" Merlin is quick to hand her off to the guards while Liz moves away to avoid being caught in the hysterical woman's grasp.

"No!" Liz watched the guards lead her inside before looking after the leaving knights, Merlin, and Arthur. Quickly looking around, Liz groaned. _There will be hell to pay later for this…_ She thought, before going invisible as she traded her legs for a wisp tail and quickly took off after them

Some time later, Arthur and knights would be sneaking through the woods when Arthur finds a gigantic paw print. "Let's follow the trail." He called to his men as they hear growling and heavy footfalls. "Keep close." He calls, and not long after they find and enter beast's lair. Merlin and Arthur split from the rest. Unaware that Liz silently, and still invisible, follows behind as they hear hissing.

"What is it?"

"Shh!" The Questing Beast would sneak up on them. Liz would let out a gasp as Arthur pushes Merlin out of the way and takes on the beast. Liz quickly checked on Merlin and turned in time to see the beast raising a paw. It's target? Arthur.

"Arthur!" Reacting quickly and without thinking, Liz pushed the prince out of the way. Crying out as the beast claws her in the chest, tearing through her corset and the bodice of her dress. Stanning it red with her blood as she was knocked to the ground from the force of the attack. The beast paid her no mind as it moved in on a stunned Arthur. Merlin, who recovered from his shock much faster, tries to distract it by waving his torch.

"Hey! Hey!" Merlin would then use his magic to pick up Arthur's dropped sword. With a muttered spell, Merlin enchants the sword and magically throws it into the Questing Beast, killing it. Merlin and Arthur move to Liz's side and gently shake her. Trying to wake her. "It didn't bite you. It didn't!"

"Merlin!" Arthur would grab his wrist and lift it up to his face. Merlin's eyes go wide as he sees blood on his hand.

"Elizabeth?!"

"Somebody help me!"

They had woken up to see Liz was once again gone. Distance be damned, Dan was going to follow. He and Clockwork found themselves some clothes that matched the timeline, then flew out to find Liz. It took them a while, but when they heard the sounds of the fight, they moved faster and come up just in time to see Liz get mauled by the beast.

"_**LIZ!" **_both male ghosts screamed before moving to her side. Dan would harshly push Arthur aside and away from Liz while Clockwork moved close to try and reverse the wounds. He didn't remember about the infection or whatever is was, so didn't think to reverse it or any effects it would have. He just reversed the flesh back to it's place of being whole and not torn or damaged.

Arthur would grunt as he was pushed by Dan roughly. The prince knew now wasn't the time to be getting angry at the manservant so instead just kept quiet. Because his view of Liz was being blocked by the two men and Merlin, he hadn't seen Clockwork reverse the damage done to her. "We must get her back to Gaius! Quickly!" He barked, scrambling to his feet. The whole time Liz would be taking shallow breaths as she became pale and began to sweat and burn up with a fever. She even felt ice cold to the touch. The knights, Merlin, Arthur, Dan, and Clockwork would act quickly to get Elizabeth back to Camelot and into Gaius's care.

Rushing into Gaius's chamber upon their arrival back to Camelot, Merlin clears a table with one sweep as Arthur and the others place Liz's stretcher on it. "What's happened?!" Gaius demanded as he looked at where Elizabeth had been wounded saw the skin was irritated and red. Narrowing his eyes a little, he would lift her arm and pull the sleeve of the dress back. Revealing a nasty bite mark. "She's been bitten!"

"She saved my life." Arthur said, looking at Gaius. "The beast scratched her."

"He tried to save me and she saved him instead."

"You must tell the King." Gaius told him, since the young woman was believed to be a guest of the king, though Uther was not even aware of her presence. Waiting until Arthur and his knights had left the room, Merlin would look at Gaius.

"There must be something you can do."

"I wish there was." Gaius murmured solemnly.

"I'll find a cure." Merlin said determined as he turned and ran towards a backroom in the chamber.

"Merlin!"

"Trust me!" Merlin called as he bolts into his room. Shaking his head, Gaius would open one of Liz's eyes to check for dilation or any signs of being conscious.

"Can you hear me, My lady?"

"Here." Merlin would come out of the room with his magic book.

"The King will be here any moment!"

"She can't die! It was my destiny to protect Arthur and she took his place instead. I won't let someone die because of something I failed to do. None of us have done all the things we're meant to do."

"That is a lament of all men."

"Gaius... She's my friend." The room was quiet for a moment before Gaius nodded his head.

"Then save her." Merlin uses magic to flip through the book quickly.

"Gestathole!" Nothing happens and he flips through the book again. "Thurhhaele." Again nothing happens. "Maybe the spells need time to take effect." Gaius shakes his head and looks at the three in his chambers with Liz.

"The bite of the Questing Beast is a death sentence that no magic can overturn." He told them solemnly.

"Where is the Princess?! Where is she?!" They would hear Uther yelling from the hall. Gaius looked to Clockwork and Dan.

"Best make yourselves unseen, quickly." He advised just before Uther enters.

"Gaius!" Merlin magically closes his magic book, keeping it hidden view by keeping it behind him as Gaius walked over to the injured girl and looked her over. Grimacing over the amount of blood that stained her and the sight of her inflamed skin "Do something, Gaius!" The king ordered, slightly more worried over a war breaking out over the harm of the 'princess'. He may not have been aware he was housing a princess, and while he knew many of his allies who had daughters, it was all too easy to assume one had simply shown up unannounced and met up with Arthur. A promising thing to be sure. But now was not the time for such a matter.

"I am trying, your majesty."

"Gaius will find a cure. He will not let her die." Merlin assured.

"I will do everything in my power."

The two male ghosts remained close by, but invisible. Clockwork could not reverse a sickness such as this and just stood back feeling helpless. Ghosts have a habit of causing people in a room to feel as they felt and right now the feelings of fear for Liz as well as anger for being helpless in this situation could be felt by anyone who walked into the room. That and the temperature was starting to slowly drop.

No one seemed to mind the temperature dropping but Arthur had begun to feel anger towards the slain beast. Merlin was feeling helpless. Although knowing they had only just met, and with Merlin being the only one to know their secret, Liz was essentially the only who was like him except Morgana, a seer. Or Mordred, the Druid boy. Uther would have his knights carry the girl to the guest chambers that the three had appeared in just the day before.


	28. The Dragon's Wisdom

**Chapter 27**

**The Dragon's Wisdom**

_**Another chapter mostly written by my co-author Kohana aka Uchiha no Kaori!**_

On and off through the day, Liz's fever would be tended to by Gaius and Guinevere, or Gwen for short. The Lady Morgana's hand maid. Dan had remained by Liz's side the whole time, watching people carefully. While this was going on, Merlin was seeking advice from the only person who could help them. Kilgharrah, the imprisoned dragon beneath the castle. "I have failed my friend, failed in my destiny." Merlin shouted to the dragon as he came down to the cavern.

"_**And yet, you would not be here if that were true."**_ The dragon spoke.

"My friend was bitten by the Questing Beast. She's going to die!"

"_**Ah, the young ghost. Does she still breathe?"**_ Kilgharrah asked.

"Only just."

"_**Then there is still time to heal her."**_

"I've tried. I cannot save her!" Merlin said in frustration. He didn't wish the girl to die, not because he hadn't been quick enough to act.

"_**You do not know how to save her."**_ The dragon said, as if to correct him

"But you can tell me how?"

"_**Perhaps. It will not be easy."**_

"I will do anything." Merlin begged.

"_**Anything?"**_ The dragon asked. You could almost hear the grin in his voice.

"Please, just tell me what I have to do!"

"_**Very well. The Questing Beast is a creature conjured by the powers of the Old Religion. You must use the same ancient magic to save the young sorceress."**_

"But the Old Religion died out centuries ago."

"_**The Old Religion is the magic of the earth itself. It is the essence which binds all things together. It will last long beyond the time of men."**_

"But how can that help me save Elizabeth?" Merlin asked him curiously.

"_**You must find those who still serve it. Those who hold dominion over life and death."**_ The dragon said. Using a claw to point at him from where it laid.

"Where?"

"_**Go to the place that men call the Isle of the Blessed, where the power of the ancients can still be felt. There you will discover the young ghost's salvation."**_

"Thank you. Thank you!"

"_**And Merlin, the young sorceress must live, no matter what the cost."**_ Merlin watched as the dragon rose to its full height. Spreading its wings before lifting off and flying as high up into the caverns and out of sight as its chains would allow before turning and leaving.

Clockwork had followed Merlin down to see the dragon, though remained invisible so neither could see him. He took in all the information the Dragon had to give and then started to follow Merlin back out.

Merlin would return to Gaius to begin packing for the long journey come morning. As Merlin opened the door to the physician's chamber, Gaius would look up from what he was doing. "Merlin, you're back. I need your help. You must get this to Elizabeth to ease her passing."

"No. We have to save her." He nearly growled as he starts packing food.

"You've already tried."

"The beast comes from the Old Religion. The cure must come from there as well." Merlin tells him.

"There are not many left with such an art."

"You said yourself, the Old Religion is still alive, and there is an island beyond the White Mountains…"

"No!"

"The Isle of the Blessed...You know it?" Merlin asked, stopping to look at Gaius.

"It was said to be the centre of the Old Religion, the focus of its power."

"Why did you keep this from me?"

"Because it was too dangerous, Merlin."

"It's our only chance! I have to find it!"

"And once you are there, what will you ask?"

"For Elizabeth to be saved."

'The Questing Beast chose Arthur-"

"And she got in the way!"

"That means the Old Religion has decided her fate." Gaius told him calmly.

"Then I will convince them to change their minds!" Merlin yelled.

"It is not that simple!" Gaius argued as he walked over to the boy. "The High Priests have the power to mirror life and death, but there will be a price to pay. They will demand a life in return. Merlin, please, I beg of you."

"I'm sorry, Gaius. Whatever the price is, I will pay it gladly." Merlin told him before going into his room to pack away some clothes.

Meanwhile in the guest chambers, Liz stirred restlessly in her fevered sleep. Whimpering a little as her face scrunched in pain with shallow gasps of air. Her heart was racing as her body tried to fight off the infection, but at this rate, it would only be a matter of time before her body gave in and her heart stopped.

Dan reached out and took her hand. "Hold on." He murmured. "You can't do this to me, Baby. Hold on."


	29. A Life for A Life

**Chapter 28**

**A Life for A Life**

_**Another chapter mostly written by my co-author Kohana aka Uchiha no Kaori!**_

While Merlin was in his room, Clockwork would appear. "I am going with you." he said with conviction. He was not staying behind to worry himself into a second death.

Merlin looked at him in a bit of surprise before shaking his head. "No, you should stay here and take care of her. Do anything to keep her conscious. To keep her from giving in. Gaius needs help to keep her alive until I get back." Merlin sighed. Setting his pack down on his bed as he turned to face Clockwork. "You should get get some rest. It's going to be a rough night."

Clockwork shook his head. "It was not a request. Daniel may remain here with Elizabeth. I need to do something so I will accompany you."

Merlin could see it was a losing fight. "Fine...Fine!" Merlin sat down on his bed. "I suggest you pack some supplies then and get some rest. Where we are going is a long way…And I don't know how long it will take for us to get there and back." He murmured.

"Would flying be faster?" Clockwork asked. He didn't know of any supplies he would need. He was wearing the clothes he had used a spell book to conjure which was his old clothes from his home time in his tower. He did sit down as he waited for a response, pushing his cloak out of the way so he didn't sit on it.

Merlin was flabbergasted. Flying? "I-I uh…" He didn't seem to know how to respond. "M-maybe for you, but not me…" Merlin finally manages to stutter out. "I have to go by horse. It will take longer." He said, rubbing the back of his head some.

"I could carry you." Clockwork said with a shrug.

"I….uh….I….Wo-Wouldn't that be a...a strain to yourself?" Merlin asked. Stumbling over his words as his eyes went wide. Carry him!? Flying!? When did his life get so strange? Well….more strange than it already was from having magic?

"No. It will not be a strain. I have carried far heavier. We will leave in the morning."

Merlin could only nod his head as he watched Clockwork leave to retire for the night. Blinking a few times, Merlin just shook his head and laid down on his bed to try and get some rest.

Come morning, Merlin would be out in the courtyard preparing his horse to leave when Gaius approaches him. "Here." Gaius hands Merlin a rolled parchment. "You'll need a map. And I'm going to give you this." He also hand the boy a small wrapped package. "My mother gave it to me." Merlin curiously unwraps the tiny package. "It's a rabbit's foot…."

"To keep you safe." Merlin chuckled.

"It was said to protect you from evil spirits. It's rubbish. I don't believe in superstition. I don't know why I gave it to you." Gaius murmured, shaking his head as he reached to take it back, but Merlin held it away and smiled a little.

"No. I want it. Thank you." Merlin would pocket the rabbit foot with a small sigh. "You've got to keep Elizabeth alive until I get back." Gaius nods and moves back as Merlin mounts his horse and rides off through the woods. Waiting to be far enough away and out of sight before allowing Clockwork to carry him. And as they traveled to a safe distance away, the dragon's voice echoed in his head.

_**"You must travel to the place that men call the Isle of the Blessed. Beyond the White Mountains, through the Valley of the Fallen Kings. To the north of the Great Seas of Meredor, you will find a lake."**_

Merlin and Clockwork would approach the lake, after hours of travel, where the boat waited for them. Looking at each other, the two would step into the little boat. "Astyre." He muttered. Propelling the boat across the lake with magic. Merlin and Clockwork would step out onto the island fortress once the boat had docked and looks around. "Hello?" Merlin would call out, hoping someone was there. A beautiful woman with long dark hair, that had strands done in braids, and was dressed in a red gown.

"Hello, Merlin." She purred.

"You." Merlin's eyes went wide as he took a shocked step back.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Nimueh. You can't be who the dragon meant…." He said, shaking his head a bit as he murmured the last bit.

"And why is that?"

"You tried to kill me." He accused. Narrowing his eyes a little.

"Before I understood your importance." She said. Shrugging her shoulders like it was nothing.

"And Arthur."

"Arthur was never destined to die at my hand, and now it seems I will be the salvation of another." Nimueh purred, walking towards him.

"So you know what we've come to ask?" Clockwork would ask, stepping up beside Merlin.

"Yes."

"Will you do it?"

"I do not have the power to mirror life itself and yet give nothing in return." Nimueh warned.

"I know that a price will be asked."

"To save a life, there must be a death. The balance of the world must be restored."

"I willingly give my life for Elizabeth's." The warlock said bravely. Holding his head high.

"How brave you are, Merlin. If only it were that simple."

"What do you mean?" Clockwork asked carefully.

"Once Merlin enters into this bargain, it cannot be undone."

"Whatever I have to do, I will do. Her life is worth a hundred of mine!" Nimueh seems to study Merlin for a moment before circling back around to gather a goblet into her hands.

"The Cup of Life, blessed by centuries of powerful sorcerers so that it contains the very secret of life itself. If the girl drinks water from the Cup, she will live." She said as she walked over to him. Holding the goblet out to him. Looking down at the goblet, he looks at Clockwork then reaches out and takes hold of it. "Tídrénas." Nimueh makes it rain on Merlin and Clockwork for a moment. Merlin would lift the cup into the air and collects the water. Lowering back down, Nimueh takes the cup and pours the water into a small, decorative canteen. "The bargain is struck. I hope it pleases you."


	30. Things He'd Never Say

**Chapter 29**

**Things He'd Never Say**

_**Another chapter mostly written by my co-author Kohana aka Uchiha no Kaori!**_

Within in the castle, tucked away in her temporary chambers, Elizabeth would once again stir in her fevered sleep. Dan was still at her side, like an ever faithful guardian watching over her. "Shh. Sleep, Liz…." He soothed. Smoothing back her damp hair as he gave her hand a squeeze.

Sometime later through the day, long after night had fallen, Gaius would come to Liz's chamber and find Dan asleep in the chair next to Elizabeth's sick bed. Gaius enters and knocks on the door to wake him up. "You should get some rest." Gaius advised him. Walking in with a bowl of cold water and a cloth of linen. Dan watched the physician carefully and shook his head as he looked back at Liz as she whimpered.

"She must not be left alone."

"I will nurse her. You must go get rest."

"No….I will not leave her side." Dan growled. Squeezing her hand before reaching to take the bowl and cloth from Gaius. The physician looked between the two then nodded in understand as he took his leave. Leaving the two of them alone. Dan took a few deep breaths to calm down as he dipped the cloth into the water and folded it. Sitting down on the bed beside her, he'd place the cloth on her forehead to keep her fever down while taking her hand. "Hey. You're going to be alright. Heh…..you have to be alright. I mean who else is going to make sure I don't _accidentally_ kill somebody important and screw up the time stream? Well besides Clock, but I sometimes ignore him." he said as he continued to bathe her face with the rag. "You know, if this is the way you're trying to distance yourself, it's a very very crappy way of doing it. We love you, Liz. We both do. We always will. No matter what. Even if you go home and leave us alone in our time line by ourselves, we'll still love you. We'll think about you. We'll talk about you. Good things, I promise. I also promise that if you come through this. If you hold on and wait for them to come back with a cure, that when you do leave us, I'll take care of Clockwork and make sure nothing bad happens to him. I'll try to be a better man, because you both make me want to be one. Even with you not there with us, I'll still know it's what you want. You have to pull through Liz. For me and for Clockwork." Dan said the last part before leaning over to gently kiss her mouth. As Dan tended to her, a crowd gathers outside her window holding candles. Word of a visiting princess falling ill had traveled quickly through the kingdom.

The next morning, Merlin and Clockwork would ride into the courtyard. Dismounting the horse, the two quickly run off to the Physician's chambers. Practically throwing open the door. "Merlin!" Gaius would exclaim surprised.

"We need to give this to Elizabeth!" He said, handing Gaius the decorative canteen.

"What is it?"

"Water drawn from the Cup of Life. If Liz drinks from it, she will recover. Please hurry." Clockwork begged, quickly following after Gaius with Merlin as they walk out. Gaius stops suddenly and faces Merlin.

"What are you waiting for?"

"What price did you pay to redeem her life? Whose life did you bargain?!" Gaius demanded, all but shaking the boy.

"We don't have time." Clockwork growled, just wanting to get the water to Liz fast as he could before she passed.

"Merlin!"

"Don't worry, Gaius! Everything's going to be alright." Merlin assured. Gaius had no choice but to take his word as the three entered Liz's chambers. Dan would look up at them and watch as Gaius takes off the cork to the canteen while Merlin tilted Liz's head back, causing her lips to part enough for Gaius to give her the water.

"What are you doing, physician? What are you giving her?" Dan growls, quickly rising to his feet.

"It's a... It's a tincture made from the lobelia plant, an ancient remedy for poisonous bites." The ghost narrowed his eyes and watched him with caution.

"A cure?" He asks, looking to Clockwork.

"We hope." The older ghost told him calmly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you really think it will have some effect?" Merlin asked hopefully.

"It's our last resort, Merlin. Perhaps we should allow her to rest."

"I will not leave her." Dan said firmly, sitting down by Liz's bedside. Clockwork sitting down on her other side. Gaius and Merlin would look at each other then leave the three of them alone.

Hours passed and night fell. Dan paced back and forth in Liz's chambers, while Clockwork slept hunched over the bed, holding Liz's hand. With a few deep and calm breaths, Liz groaned softly as her eyes fluttered open. Swallowing to ease her somewhat dry throat, she squeezes Clockwork's hand. Waking him from his light sleep. "Liz!" She lifted her head with a small smile and looks around for Dan, who had stopped pacing and quickly ran over to her. Taking her other hand.

"There you are…" She smiled and puts her head back down to rest while holding onto their hands.

"I thought we'd lost you." Clockwork murmured to her.

"Don't worry, boys, I'm not going to die. I think there's someone watching over me, keeping me from harm." She said, clearing her throat a bit as she squeezed their hands. Swallowing dryly again, she'd clear her throat once more. "Clockwork….can I have a moment alone with Dan?" She asked. The older ghost nodded and kissed her forehead.

"I'll go tell Gaius and Merlin you're awake." He said, deciding to occupy his time with something useful. Liz nodded and waited for him to leave before turning her head to look at Dan. She didn't say anything at first, she simply stared at him as if she were examining him. Dan of course noticed and grumbled.

"Will you stop staring? It's annoying." He growled a little. Liz gave a weak chuckle and sat up in the bed with his help.

"I heard you, you know…" She coughed. Taking a cup from Dan as he poured her some water and gave it to her. After emptying the cup, she'd lower it to her lap. "I heard you tell me you both love me. How you told I would make it through the illness. What you promised you'd do when we get back." Dan tried to act like he didn't know what she was talking about, and Liz knew there was no point in getting him to admit to saying such things. So instead, she settled for turning his head towards her and planting a hard kiss on his lips. When she pulled away, her breath was somewhat shaky. Liz rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "If there is a way for me to stay with you both when all this is over, I will gladly take it...but if there is not, you must live up to your promise. You have to take care of him. Be that better man that I know is in you somewhere. You swear to me you will do this and I'll stop trying to distance myself." She whispered. Nuzzling her nose against his with another kiss.

"I….Ok…." he murmured as he gave her a small sincere smile.

Clockwork raised a brow at the two, not knowing about the earlier conversation.

She smiled back and nodded her head as she laid back and closed her eyes to rest much more peacefully this time. All the while, she'd cling to his hand. Lacing her fingers in with his as she held it. Since Liz laid in the middle of the bed, there was plenty of room for the boys to sleep on either side of her if they so wished.

Dan and Clockwork would both get into the bed and lay close to Liz. Dan keeping a hold of her hand tightly while propped his head on his free hand to watch her. Clockwork put an arm across her middle and held her close while he placed his chin on top of her head. He would throw his cloak across them for warmth.


	31. The Balance of Magic

**Chapter 30**

**The Balance of Magic**

_**Another chapter mostly written by my co-author Kohana aka Uchiha no Kaori!**_

A storm rages through the night. Down in the Physician's chamber, Merlin lays awake. Waiting to die. No one but Clockwork knew of the bargain that had been on the isle. Morning seems to come faster than normal, and Merlin finds he still lives. With a rush of excitement, he fled from his room. Shouting to Gaius that he still lived. But what he came across was not something he expected. Gaius was kneeling on the floor beside a weak and diseased woman. Hunith. His mother. The life that had been traded for Elizabeth was that of his mother. This was not what he agreed to, and Nimueh knew it. Enraged and fearful to loose his mother, Merlin immediately sought out the dragon, but even then the old ones words would not bring him the comfort he desired. The dragon would not give his help and did not seem to care that the traded life was his mother. Angered, Merlin swore against the dragon. Saying that for this deceit, the dragon would not see the promised light of day. This angered the dragon. With a mighty breath, the dragon spewed out flames towards Merlin, who blocked them with a spell then left. Hurt that a friend had betrayed him so deeply.

Merlin returned to Gaius's chambers and asked about his mother, who Gaius told him was resting. Intent on setting things right by means of traded his life and his life alone for that of his mothers, Merlin spoke briefly with Gaius and then set out to find Arthur. After a minor conversation there, Merlin came to check on Liz and her friends. And to say goodbye, as he was sure this was the last time he would see them. Knocking on the door before he entered, he'd stand amused as he caught Dan standing beside the bed with his arms folded over his chest and Clockwork fighting a stubborn Liz, her bitten arm in a sling, to just accept the fact that she was going to have be spoon fed the bowl of soup Clockwork held from Gwen. "I can feed myself just fine!"

"You're arm is in a sling! Stop being so stubborn and let us help!"

"Dan tell him! Tell him I don't need to be babied!"

"I'm good right where I am…" Dan muttered. Merlin cleared his throat and the room became silent as all three turned to look at him.

"Merlin…"

"See you're feeling better." Liz smiled and nodded her head. Blushing a bit from the embarrassment over being caught in such a childish argument.

"Yes, I am. I hear I have you to thank for that."

"Ah, it was nothing…" Merlin said shyly. Rubbing the back of his head. "Anyways, I just came to...see how you were. And to say...uh..."

"She betrayed you." Clockwork interrupted. "I see you're very much alive. Who is it she has traded for?"

"Traded for?" Liz questioned. Looking at the two of them. "I don't understand….what do you mean traded for!?"

Clockwork stuck the spoon of soup in her mouth while she had it open to hush her. Liz just glared and took the spoon from her mouth.

"My mother…" This seemed to strike a chord with Liz as she looked at Clockwork with a sense of hurt. She knew what it was like to lose a parent and she hadn't wanted anyone else to know such a pain.

"You were just going to let him trade his life for mine!? And instead I have stolen the life of his mother!"

He looked at her and truthfully spoke. "I do not know these people. I do not care what happens to them. What is important is you." he said before looking at Merlin. "But I had no idea the trade would go wrong. Seeing as this affects Liz's conscious, I'll go fix this." he said as he handed the bowl of soup to Dan.

"What?!" Dan would growl, looking down at the bowl then back at the older ghost.

"Clockwork!" Liz gasped almost panicked. Merlin shook his head and motioned to the other two.

"No. This is my mother. I made the trade. The deal was mine. I should have known she would do something like this…" He turned his head to look at Liz. "Your life is more important than mine. You're a friend far as I'm concerned and I was fully prepared to trade my life for yours." He then looked back at Clockwork. "I can't let you come with me this time. Stay here and look after Elizabeth with your friend. As I said, this is my mother. And she'll take the lives of none but me this time. I won't let her."

"We know who will win this argument. History is in need of you." he said as the pocket watch on his belt glowed and a hologram projection appeared from it in the middle of the room showing Merlin as he guided Arthur and the knights of the round table. "You were never meant to die. I knew you would not. I did not know who would be taken in your place."

"Clockwork, please…"

Merlin sighed and shook his head. It was just another mention of his supposed destiny to him. "Fine, but we have a stop to make first. I need to speak with my mother before we go."

"What!? No….No, Clockwork, please!" Liz began to push the blankets and fur off her to get at Clockwork.

He walked over to her and gently pressed her back down to lay in the bed. "Shhh. Be rational. I am a ghost. I have no life to give. I may be able to trade her something of more value. Do not worry. I will return. You just rest….and for time's sake eat your soup."

Liz struggled against him until he had her laying back down. Glowering, she sat back up and looked at Dan. "Dan, stop him! Talk some sense into him, something!"

Dan shook his head. "He's stubborn and old. He's not going to listen." he said. He then turned angry eyes on Clockwork. "Are you?"

Clockwork shook his head again. "I will return. I promise that. When I return, I want that and several other bowls of soup gone." He was trying to deflect the conversation. Make them not worry. He looked towards the door hoping Merlin would hurry back. He needed to get out of here before Dan did come up with something rash to keep him from going.

"No! I'm not eating if you're going to leave!" Liz cried stubbornly. Reaching behind her to grab onto her pillow, she throws one of them at Clockwork hard as she could manage with a single hand. "You stubborn old ghost! I may be upset over the life of another being carelessly traded for mine with the use of magic, but I will not have something happen to you at the hands of this witch!" She growled. Before anything can be said, Merlin, who was even more angered than before, comes racing back into the room in a panic. Saying something Gaius having left him a letter explaining that he was going to trade his life for Merlin's mother.

"He's the only doctor in this realm, correct?" Clockwork asked before sighing. "I can catch up to him quickly." he said before going intangible and leaving through a wall. He would then fly out to find Gaius

"Clockwork!" Liz yells, looking back to Merlin, who leaves the room and heads for the courtyard. Wasting no time in mounting a horse and riding off from Camelot.

Clockwork flew quickly, but kept an eye out for the physician. If he could catch him, he'd knock him out and continue on towards the woman to make a deal.

Gaius steps out of the boat onto the island. "I never thought I'd see you here again." Nimueh purred as she appeared. Looking just a little surprised and most uncaring for the visit.

"My Lady." Gaius would bow with respect.

"It's been a long time since you called me that."

"I come to ask for your help."

"As you did once before for Uther? You did not like the outcome."

"I offer a chance for you to atone for the death of his wife."

"I have saved the life of another. What more do you ask for?" She asked, tilting her head a little.

"That this time, you take a just price. Merlin intends to offer his life for his mother's. I want you to take mine in his place."

"With all my powers of prediction, I could never have foretold this. Gaius the hero. Why should I grant your wish? You stood and watched as our friends burned in the Great Purge. You are nothing but a traitor!" She growled, enraged.

"Merlin is the one man who can bring magic back to this land. At Arthur's side, he can help forge a new kingdom. A world of peace and beauty that we can only dream of."

"And you're willing to give your life, Gaius, for the future they will bring?" Gaius is silent for a moment. "I'm waiting. Are you ready to die, Gaius?" She asks again while Gaius steeled his resolve. "Gaius?"

"For Merlin…I will give my life."


	32. The End of A Sorceress

**Chapter 31**

**The End of A Sorceress**

_**Another chapter mostly written by my co-author Kohana aka Uchiha no Kaori!**_

"_**Stop!" **_Clockwork cried out as he finally caught up to Gaius. "Stop!" he exclaimed again coming up beside the man panting a bit. "This man….is important to these people. He is a ….ok….you already know this of course. The fact of the matter is I have things that would be more beneficial to you than someone's life."

"And what would that be?" Nimueh asked, walking a few steps forward towards the two. For the life of him, Gaius could not understand why Clockwork was here when he assumed the old ghost would have been with Elizabeth after the near death scare.

"How would you like to have powers over time itself?" he asked. "You could hasten your speed or the effects of a spell. You could slow an enemy down. If an enemy attacked, you could age them until they were nothing but dust. Or hell, you could turn them into babies and raise them up to love and follow you."

"While tempting as such a trade is...I have no desire for the power of time." Nimueh said, speaking something in Latin before attack him with a bolt of light towards his chest before turning to Gaius and leading him to the altar. "Ic, séo héahsácerd, þe ácwile strengþe ealdan æwfæstnesse!" Nimueh's chant echoed in the air while Merlin rushed onto the island.

"Stop!" He exclaimed, panting a bit.

"Back again so soon, warlock?" Nimueh asks, turning to face him. Revealing an unresponsive and slumped Gaius beside the altar.

"What have you done?!"

"Your friend is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Have you killed him?"

"It was his wish." She said with a simple shrug.

"I bid my life for Elizabeth, not my mother's, not Gaius's!"

"The Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies! Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius knew this."

"It is not the Old Religion that has done this. It is you." Merlin yelled.

"Come now. We are too valuable to each other to be enemies."

"No! I share nothing with you!"

"With my help, Arthur will become King."

"**I** will make Arthur King. But you will never see that day." Merlin growled, holding out his hand. "Ástríce!" Nimueh absorbs his attack.

"Your childish tricks are useless against me, Merlin. I am a priestess of the Old Religion. Forbærne!" Lightning crashes down around her as thunder rumbles. "You, too, are a creature of the Old Religion. You should join me."

"You think I would join forces with such a selfish and cruel magic? Never."

"So be it. Ácwele!" She held her hand out and fired the bolt at Merlin. Striking him in the chest. For a few moments, Merlin lays there in pain. "Pity. Together we could've ruled the world." Nimueh turns and walks away. Unaware that Merlin was rising to his feet and glaring at her.

"You should not have killed my friend." Merlin uses the power from the clouds to strike Nimueh down. The multiple bolts of lightning causing a downpour of rain as Nimueh is turned to ashes.

"...not a brilliant move on my part." Clockwork muttered as he got up from where he'd landed after being hit with the bolt of lightning. He looked down to see shattered glass and his clock and pendulum a bit charged. Still ticking he ignored it as he walked over to check on the doctor. "A very foolish move on your part, I'm afraid." He held a hand out to the man. He had never tried this before, but he would do it to maybe make everything right. He tried to reverse time to bring Gaius back to life.

It takes a few moments, but Gaius would eventually stir. "Merlin…"

"Gaius. Gaius. Gaius, you're alive!" Merlin cheered.

"What did you do?" Gaius asked, looking between the two.

"Nimueh's dead. The balance of the world has been restored."

"You amaze me. You've mastered the power of life and death itself. We'll make a great warlock of you yet."

"So you believe in me now?" Merlin would ask teasingly and grinning.

"Well, I would do if...if you could stop this blasted rain." The two would laugh.

Unaware that beneath the castle back at Camelot, an angered Dragon is roaring out Merlin's name in anger.

"We should return to the castle." Clockwork said as he slowly stood up. He kept his cloak folded around him as he started to walk to the boat that got the other two there.


	33. Ancient Egypt

**Chapter 32**

**Ancient Egypt**

_**Although she has been helping Kohana and I all this time here in this story, editing and catching mistakes when she could, this chapter is writen by Blakkatt, Kohana, and I together.**_

When the three got back to the castle, Liz was dressed in her old clothes and sitting on the bed in a rather foul mood. Dan was grumbling and nursing the side of his head where a small bump laid from Liz throwing the luckily empty bowl AND spoon at him from her anger at Clockwork not staying.

Clockwork walked in and looked at the two. "Charming." he muttered before going and flouncing into a chair, keeping his cloak close around him. "I'll rest and then we can…..do whatever." he murmured.

Dan continued rubbing his head and raised a brow at Clockwork. "Why are you pissy? She ate the goddamn soup before she hit me with the bowl and spoon."

Liz would start laughing and for the life she couldn't say why or what was funny. Perhaps it was how childish the act sounded coming from someone else who wasn't her. She didn't really know. But she found it amusing now that she replayed that moment over again in her head. Clearing her throat a few times, she's careful not to jostle her arm too much as she got up and walked over to Clockwork. Grabbing onto the cloak. "What did you do?" She questions, trying to move his cloak aside.

"Nothing. Merlin got there and fought the witch and then revived Gaius. I only stood there." he said as he reached a hand out to gently bat hers away.

Liz grumbled and placed her hand on her hip. "You broke the glass casing again didn't you?"

He blushed a bit purple. "No!"

"Yes." Dan said grinning. "He probably did."

"I did not! ….lightning struck it."

"Which wouldn't have happened if you had stayed…" Liz smirked as she looked at Dan then back at Clockwork. "I should have saved that bowl and spoon to throw at you…" She murmured. Shaking her head as she shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, fine. Rest...But then we should see about jumping or whatever it is we usually do." Liz said as she went and sat back down on the bed. "Till then I should contemplate the idea of a romantic picnic in the woods of camelot…" She murmured as she laid back on the bed.

Both men looked at her from the corner of their eyes. Dan sat down in the chair he was sure was going to permanently have a dent the size of his ass in it while Clockwork leaned back in the chair he was in to rest.

Liz had caught their stares and couldn't help the little grin that came to her lips as she closed her eyes and relaxed in the tranquil silence with her boys while she waited for them to jump.

And jump they did, when Liz next opened her eyes, they were sitting on the shores of the Nile River.

The change in texture beneath her and the sound of water would stir her from her brief catnap. Groaning, she would blink open her eyes and shield her eyes right away from the harsh light of the sun.

Dan blinked having found himself out of the chair and sitting in sand.

"What the!?" Sitting up, Liz would pull her legs towards her chest as she saw lots and lots of sand, pyramids, and limestone buildings across the water. Buildings with wooden doors that looked weathered and worn and just barely being held in place. Some buildings had ragged curtains for doors. "What?"

Clockwork opened his eyes when he fell backwards no longer having the back of the chair to support him. He then looked around. "Egypt." he murmured.

Coming down the river was a boat. Judging by the people on board it was the royal boat as the queen was shaded under a canopy while servants fanned her with large fans to keep her cool. The queen looked in their direction and seemed to look at Liz a little longer than she looked at Dan and Clockwork, as if she was trying to figure out something about Liz.

The two ghost males watched her back suspiciously before standing and moving closer to Liz. Dan held a hand out to help her up.

Liz observed the boat and could see that it had to be someone of importance from the way people were gathering at the water. Bowing and observing. Liz could see the queen's eyes on her and it was almost uncomfortable the way she stared. "Why is she looking at me?" Liz questioned, glancing at the boys as they got to their feet and moved close to her, protectively. "It's almost uncomfortable…" She said, taking Dan's hand and getting up to her feet with his help. "Perhaps it's the way we're dressed?"

Dan looked at her and grinned. "Maybe she digs chicks."

Liz would blush brightly and try to hide her face. "D-Dan! She's married…." Liz grumbled, wishing her blush would go away.

"I don't think that mattered as much to people back in this day and age." Dan responded, still grinning.

The queen, having figured out what it was she was considering, made a motion to her servants to stop the vessel in front of the trio as close to shore as possible. Once the ship had docked, she stood and stepped to the edge of the ship, again her gaze focused on Liz. "Liz? Is that you?" The look in the queen's eyes now more obviously seen as recognition. "Do you not remember me already? Queen Nefertiti."

Dan and Clockwork looked between the two women in confusion.

Liz didn't know what to say and was blinking in confusion. How did this woman know her? Granted it was pretty cool that Queen Nefertiti seemed to know her, but Liz wanted to know how. "U-Uh…" She looked between the boys and then back at her with a nervous laugh. "Spoilers?" Liz asked sheepishly.

Dan and Clockwork nearly fell over.

Nefertiti made a gesture as she realized she might have made some sort of mistake. "Well then, seems we have some things to clear up." She clapped her hands and the servants let down a ramp from the side of the boat. "You and your companions come join me. The three of you shall be my guests at the palace during your stay."

"Heh. Well, at least we won't have to steal clothes and food." Dan said with a chuckle. Clockwork would elbow him.

"Future me must be awesome…" Liz murmured a little excitedly as she started up the ramp to join Nefertiti on her boat.

The two males followed her quietly.

"I do apologize for the lack of seating, this vessel is normally only prepared to seat either myself and the Pharaoh." She nodded to the servants who pulled back the ramp and started to turn the vessel back towards the palace. Nefertiti then took her seat once more and looked at the trio. "So, Liz, you have yet to have had the adventure I know you from? Have you at least started traveling with the Doctor and the Ponds, when you aren't with your current companions, that is?"

Liz cringed a bit. "We don't talk about the Ponds…" She muttered, absently rubbing her side as if tending to an invisible pain from an unknown wound. "I have traveling on and off with the Doctor for a long time, but whatever adventure you speak of to know me from...Forgive me, but...Spoilers." She said shrugging her shoulders. Her basic answer? No, she hadn't done that adventure yet. But it seemed like it would be exciting now.

"She's lost me." Dan murmured to Clockwork. The older ghost just nodded in agreement.

Liz just smiled at them and laughed. "I'll explain later…" She assured them. Using the only good hand she had to squeeze theirs before walking to the side of the boat and closing her eyes. Liz would tilt her head back as she enjoyed the salty water smell and the hot sun bathing down on her. Tanning her skin.

Nefertiti only nodded in understanding of Liz's shortened mostly unspoken request not to give things away. She then turned her attention back to Clockwork and Dan. "The two of you are what to Liz, exactly? Servants? Bodyguards?"

"Her lovers." Both of them answered together, calmly. Their focus more on Liz as they watched her carefully. Having heard the boys response long before she could answer, Liz would blush and turn her head away to try and hide that blush. Praying to whatever gods of this time that would listen, that Nefertiti wouldn't ask for further details. Or make teasing remarks. Surely it had to be reasonable or even acceptable for a woman to have more than one lover in this day and age. Right?

Nefertiti nodded and looked to Liz. "Well, then, as my personal guests, the three of you shall be safe from any possible scrutiny. Your sort of relationship is usually amongst those of higher class."

"What, you mean like you?" Liz asked cheekily, turning her head to look at Nefertiti while using her hand to shield her eyes from the sun.

Nefertiti gave her a smirk in answer. "And the other nobles of Egypt."

"Good to know…" Liz chuckled, lowering her arm as she walked back over to them. The awning protecting them from the sun. "So….Queen. What's it like?"

"Quite dull compared to an adventure with the Doctor really. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy all the benefits of being Queen. But the day to day activities can be quite boring after a while."

"Mmnh….I imagine so…" Liz muttered. Taking a seat on one of the plush pillows while being mindful of her arm. Clockwork and Dan would move to either side of her and sit down as well.

Dan and Clockwork sat listening to the women chat and watched their current surroundings. Maybe for once they were going to have a nice calm experience. While no one was watching, and while he had his strength back, Clockwork reversed time on his glass case to put the glass back in it. He smiled once it was fixed and then went back to watching the surroundings with Dan.

Liz would glance over just after he had reversed the damage to his casing and then shifted herself so she was leaning against Dan before pulling Clockwork against her while he wasn't looking. Nuzzling her head against Dan, she let Clockwork rest his head against her chest so he could get some sleep and regain his strength. Besides, Dan was comfy and being on the water was very calming.

Clockwork wasn't expecting to be pulled and almost fell against her. He had to admit after he got adjusted that the new head rest was very comfy and after a few moments, he was dozing while her fingers ran through his hair. Dan looked down at the two and smirked, then looked back out at their surroundings.

Nefertiti silently watched the trio and smiled at the scene they portrayed. It was quite obvious that the love between the three was more than that simple little connection between the usual lovers. There was genuine love between them and for a moment, she envied them.

Liz would sleep against Dan, her head against his shoulder over where his heart would have been, while the servants rowed the royal boat towards the palace. She and Clockwork would have to be woken once they arrived.

"Hey.." Dan murmured as he shook the two. "Wake up. I think we're where ever we were going."

Liz took in a deep breath and groaned as she yawned. Blinking, she would rub her eyes with her hand and look up at him sleepily. "We're there?" She murmured, reaching down to poke Clockwork's cheek to try and wake him up.

He turned his face away and swatted at her hand a little, still asleep.

Liz chuckled a little before yawning. "You may...Have to carry him." She said, clearing her throat after yawning.

Dan reached past her and thumped Clockwork's ear causing the other ghost to jump and sit up.

"Ow….." he muttered rubbing his ear.

"Carried his ass enough. He can walk." Dan said as he slowly stood up also and held a hand out to Liz to help her stand.

Nefertiti only chuckled as she watched the three while she stood. The ramp was set out once more and she started to walk down it, talking to the servants awaiting at the bottom as she informed the servants what she wanted done with her three guests so that they would feel more at home in the palace.

Liz took Dan's hand laughing at the antics between him and Clockwork. Once Clockwork had gotten off her, she let Dan help her up and then straightened out her clothes best she could. Taking Dan's hand again, she'd walk down the ramp with Dan at her side and Clockwork close behind her as if to act as a guard. The palace was grand and open. Many exotic flowers were on display with some native plants and the walls held hieroglyphs detailing bits of their history.

Dan held tight to Liz's hand. After all, he was never at ease. Just because the people seemed friendly, didn't mean they weren't trying something tricky. He kept an eye out for anything.

Once they were in the main hall of the palace, Nefertiti turned to face them. "The servants have been informed of your 'll be shown to your chambers, bathed and dressed in time for dinner. I will see you then, Lady Liz."

Dan and Clockwork would both give her a respectful bow.

"We thank you, your Majesty." Clockwork spoke.


	34. Steamed Bath for Three

**Chapter 33**

**Steamed Bath for Three**

_**WARNING WARNING WARNING! THIS CHAPTER IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC! LOTS OF FLUFF AND LEMON! IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 SKIP THIS CHAPTER! IF YOU ARE NOT INTO YAOI SKIP THIS CHAPTER! IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THREESOMES DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER! IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY READING "SMUT" SKIP THIS CHAPTER! READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!**_

Liz couldn't help but grin as she was given a higher class title. Bowing her head with a curtsie, she waited till they had left Nefertiti's presence with the servants escorting them to their chamber before giggling. "Lady Liz….That makes you two my consorts in this day and age!" She laughed.

"Consort?" Dan asked.

"Use the Vlad side of your brain, Daniel." Clockwork said chuckling.

"Shut up. I know what a consort is. I just don't know why we've been switched from me being her husband."

"Because we both said we were her lovers, so that will make it easier to understand if we're consorts. It's actually really good camouflage." Clockwork said nodding.

"Plus it allows for PDA with no questions asked." Liz said, head held high as she internally laughed over how jealous Dan had momentarily sounded over the thought of not being her 'husband'.

"I suppose we should get ready for dinner." Clockwork said as he looked around the chamber.

"Wonder if we'll get away with bathing together or if they'll take us away again to different baths…" Liz muttered, still convinced that the content grin Dan had when he returned from his bath in Greece had been from a quickie with one of the temple girls.

"We won't know until we try." Dan said as he started to undress and head for the large pool like tub.

Clockwork nodded in agreement and started to undo his own clothing as well.

Liz followed them to the large pool that had some kind of exotic flower petals in the water and she could briefly smell kind of bathing oil in the water. For a moment, she said nothing as she watched them undress. Her tongue wetting her lips as she liked what she saw.

Once undressed, Dan and Clockwork went into the tub. The water felt wonderful and the smell was nice. Both men leaned against either side of the tub and relaxed.

"Ooooo…...we might be late for dinner." Dan murmured.

"Em hm." Clockwork murmured as he laid his head back and closed his eyes.

Liz laughed and began to undress carefully as she could without jostling her healing arm. Not wishing to irritate the bite. Once she was undressed, she let her hair down and shook her head a bit. Fanning out her hair before letting it settle against her back. Hanging down to her waist. Hips swaying and breasts bouncing with each step, she approached the pool and began to walk down the steps and into the water.

Dan watched her the whole time almost mesmerized. "_We may be later than I thought…." _

Liz would blush almost shyly under his gaze as she looked down at her feet for a moment, glancing up at them through her lashes, as the water slowly covered her body to just above her chest. Leaving her cleavage bare as she walked over to them. "Well if we're going to be late…" She purred. "We may as well have a valid reason…"

Clockwork sighed. "I really hate to say this…..." he opened his eyes and saw Liz causing his words to die down in his throat. "...b-but…..uh…..we….uh…..s-shouldn't be late….would be….um….rude…." He had seen her naked before. Even with the enlarged breasts, but somehow, her in the water and walking the way she was, it was becoming increasingly hard not to agree to some antics with his two companions.

Liz giggled and placed her hand on her hip as she shifted her weight to her left foot. "I'm sure she'd understand...but if you really don't want to…." As her chest heaved with each breath, water would pool into her cleavage with each inhale and then spill out like a waterfall with every exhale. "We don't have to…"

Clockwork was staring and then shook his head some as if to clear it. "I um….suppose you know her better than we do…..in a sense so…..ok…..a little…..fashionably lateness has never hurt anyone."

Dan was watching the two and chuckling. Liz knew how to wrap the older ghost around her finger when she wanted to bad enough without even really trying.

"Fashionably late it is…" She purred, licking Clockwork's neck before turning to Dan and gripping his hair tightly as she pulled him in for a deep kiss with a moan.

Clockwork made a low moaning noise as she licked his neck, then watched as she kissed Dan. Dan grunted a bit as she grabbed him by the hair and pulled him into the deep kiss. While she did, he put a hand to the small of her back and pulled her hard against himself. His hardening member pressing against her stomach.

Liz moaned and wrapped her arm around his neck as she rubbed her chest against him. Wiggling her hips a bit to rub her lower body against his hardening member and to tease Clockwork with the jiggle of her ass.

Dan moaned as he ended the kiss and nipped at her neck. Although he loved her wiggling against his member, and it was evident by how hard it was now, he moved back just enough he could run a hand up her ribs and then cupped one of her nice plump breasts. He started to squeeze and massage it while kissing her once more. While he did that, she would feel Clockwork come up behind her. His own member pressing against her ass as he moved to cup the opposite breast Dan was teasing. He ran his thumb over her nipple while he nipped and licked at the back of her neck.

Liz would moan and tilt her head back a bit as Dan nipped and kissed her neck. Arching her chest forward into his hand, she'd curl her fingers into his hair with a groan and alternate between teasingly rocking her hips against him and pressing back against Clockwork as he joined in. His hand taking her unoccupied breast while he nipped and licked the back of her neck. Making her shiver a little.

Dan reached down with his free hand to stroke her clit teasingly. Her fingers curled in his hair caused him to kiss her a little harder and rougher. He alternated between squeezing and massaging her breast to pinching and teasing her nipple. Clockwork moaned a little as she ground back on him. He pressed against her more and found a spot over her pulse to suck and lick at.

Liz would whimper a little as she felt Dan teasing her clit and would try to squeeze her legs together as if it could minimize the effect. Shoving her tongue into his mouth, she'd move it in circles around his own teasingly as she bucked her hips against him. With Clockwork determined to leave a hickie over her pulse, she'd moan into the kiss and press back against him as she wiggled her hips.

Dan enjoyed her antics with her tongue and matched them with his own, almost wrapping his snake like tongue around hers. He pulled back as she tried to squeeze her legs together and popped her tigh teasingly to get her to open them up again. Clockwork finished leaving the mark on her neck, then got down behind her so that he could reach a hand to her opening to slowly push a finger in while she was distracted with Dan.

"Mnh!" She jumped a bit as he popped her thigh and moved her legs apart for him. The feeling of having his tongue literally wrapped around hers was a bit of a creepy feeling. Or it should have been if she wasn't rather use to the way his tongue was. While she was distracted with the kiss, she hadn't been aware of Clockwork reaching a hand down between her legs and push a finger into her until she felt the intrusion of the digit. "Nmh!" She'd gasp into the kiss, blushing a bit as she yanked lightly on Dan's hair. It hurt just a little, but she was working through it.

Dan ended their kiss again before moving to start and suck on her nipple while teasing the other that Clockwork had abandoned, all the while teasing and pinching her clit. While he was working, Clockwork carefully began to pump his finger in and out of Liz slowly and easily so she could get use to it.

She gasped softly and tilted her head back with a heavy breath. Using her hands to squeeze her breasts together and keep them up above the water for him, she'd relax and find the intrusion less painful and more pleasurable. Rocking her hips a bit against Dan's hand teasing her clit and against Clockwork's finger with a moan.

Dan continued to work on her breasts and clit. Teasing and pinching her clit, while teasing, pinching, nipping, and sucking at her nipples each in turn. Clockwork gently pushed another finger into her.

"Aah!" Liz's chest was heaving with each breath she took. Arching forward against Dan as he teased her, she would wiggle her hips a bit until she felt another finger get pushed into her. Yelping, she would bite down on her bottom lip as her toes curled for a moment then relaxed as the pain eased. By now, her cheeks would be flushed with heat as she let her breasts go to run her hand through Dan's hair.

Dan moaned and moved back up to kiss her deeply and passionately, his tongue flicking over hers and exploring the depths of her mouth. Clockwork pulled his fingers from her and slowly and gently began to probe her ass. Dan moved his fingers to where Clockwork's had been while his thumb teased her clit.

She hadn't been prepared for the sudden probing of her rose bud. Letting out a scream, she pressed up against Dan and closed her eyes tightly as she gripped onto him. Tensed from the shock. His tongue was practically down her throat and with his fingers slipping into her wet cunt while his thumb continued to tease her clit, she'd slowly relax under the welcoming distraction. Becoming less tense the more she relaxed. She found the more she relaxed, the less pain she felt.

Dan ended the kiss and nibbled at her ear. "Relax. Don't tense up. It won't hurt when you get use to it." he murmured as he kissed her neck lightly.

"I'll stop if you like." Clockwork said not wanting to hurt her. Frankly the scream had him pull out and back away a little afraid he'd already hurt her.

"mmnh….N-No. I was just surprised…" She panted. Turning her head to look back at Clockwork through half lidded eyes. "I-It's like Dan said...It doesn't hurt when you relax…" She told him with a chuckle.

Clockwork nodded and slowly started to probe her again. Dan scissored his fingers inside her womanhood and rubbed her clit while nipping her neck.

Liz kept relaxed this time and moaned as he probed her again. Wiggling her hips a little, she'd rest her forehead against Dan's shoulder. Keeping her focus from the pain distracted on the pleasure of Dan's fingers stretching her. Glancing over her shoulder at Clockwork, she'd look back up at Dan for a moment then just simply close her eyes as her hips bucked with a whimper.

Once he figured she was lubed up enough and that she could take him, Clockwork removed his fingers from her and slowly started to push his member in. At the same time, Dan took his fingers out of her pussy and pushed his member inside of her with a swift thrust.

Her head shot up with a silent scream as her eyes went wide. It was a strange and painful feeling to be double penetrated. Closing her eyes, she grip onto Dan's arm and suddenly bite into his shoulder as she kept telling herself it would pass. That the pain would become pleasure and all she had to do was just keep relax. Liz took deep breaths as she worked herself through it and made sure to keep herself from tensing up.

Neither men moved. Even when she bit him, all Dan did was make a hissing noise, then looked down at her as he gently stroked her hair. "It's alright. Relax. You'll be ok." he murmured before kissing her softly. Clockwork rubbed her back soothingly whispering encouragement into her ear. "You're doing fine. Breath. Focus on the pleasure part and not the pain."

She let go of Dan's shoulder and nuzzled her bite with a soft muttered sorry before looking up as he spoke. She didn't have a chance of answering before he kissed her. Letting go of his arm, she moved her arm around his neck as her fingers curled back into his hair as she did as Clockwork suggested. Focused on the pleasure and not on the pain.

Both men continued to wait for her to give them the ok to move. Dan kissed her deeply once more as she kissed him. Clockwork continued to soothingly rub her back.

She'd pull back from the kiss for a moment with a pant to nod her head. "I-I'm okay now…" She murmured before pulling Dan back down for that kiss while pushing back against Clockwork with a groan then rocked forward against Dan.

The two nodded and started to thrust into her in unison. Filling her up, then pulling back out only to push back in. They were going a slow steady pace to not hurt her.

The feeling of being so filled was….well, amazing. At least to her. She would whimper a little as they pulled out, leaving her feeling empty. But when they pushed back in, she would arch her chest forward. Pleasure racked her body and rolled over her in waves. Soon enough, Liz had pulled back from the kiss to cry out their names in pleasure as her eyes closed and her head was thrown back in ecstasy.

Clockwork and Dan were moaning also as they thrust into her Dan nibbling on one side of her neck while Clockwork nipped and sucked at the other. After a few minutes of thrusting at the same time, they were soon thrusting to their own rhythm. One minute she would be filled by both, then next neither, then she'd have Dan buried deep before pulling out and Clockwork being buried deep into the other hole. This rhythm of together, then not continued on as the two men started to get a little faster and harder in their thrusts, grunting and moaning as they ravaged the woman they both loved.

Liz's breasts bounced with each thrust as she was bounced along with them. The rhythm that had worked themselves into had her filled by both then emptied the next or filled deeply by one and then other as the first person pulled out. Her body was becoming coated in sweat as she began to tighten around Dan. Her orgasm building in the pit of her stomach. "Mmnh…"

Dan moaned as he felt her tighten around him. "Liz….." he moaned before nipping at her shoulder where he had bit her the first time they had fucked. He started to thrust a bit harder and faster trying to get her to cum with him. Feeling Dan pushing into Liz faster and harder, Clockwork started to do the same, the friction and rhythm, plus the tightness he was thrusting into had him close to release himself as he moaned loudly.

Feeling Dan nip at the shoulder he had bitten into the first he had fucked her, Liz would blush and shudder with pleasure. She felt the boys thrust harder into her as their pace increased. The feeling in her stomach grew warmer as she quivered with desire and became wetter than she already had been. "T-Together... " She'd purr to them, leaning her head back against Clockwork and tightened more around Dan.

Dan nodded a bit and the two men paced themselves so that when they come, they would come with her.

She felt them begin to pace themselves so that they'd cum with her and at that point, she would turn her head on Clockwork's shoulder and pull the time ghost into a kiss. Curling her hand into his hair with a tug as she shoved her tongue into his mouth with a moan and pushed herself back against him with a groan.

Moaning from the tug on his hair, Clockwork returned the kiss just as fiercely. He moaned again as she pushed herself back against him.

Liz would whimper a bit as she quivered again. After teasing Clockwork's tongue a few times, she'd break the kiss with a moan and shake her head. "I-I'm going to cum!" She screams, unable to take trying to hold back anymore.

The two men buried themselves into her deeply and as she cum so did they, Dan letting out a loud grunt while Clockwork gave off a small pleasured cry.

Liz screamed out in pleasure as her body shook with the force of her orgasm. Her pussy would milk Dan dry and as she came down from the momentary high, she would lay her forehead against Dan's shoulder with heavy breaths. Strands of her hair were matted to her forehead and sides of her face with her sweat. "That….That was...New…"

"Hopefully in a pleasurable way." Dan panted with a chuckle.

Clockwork nodded as he laid his head on Liz's shoulder. Neither of them had pulled out of her, just basking in the feel of her around them and really unwilling to break the connection.

"He-hehe...I-It was…" She murmured. Kissing Dan's shoulder where she had bitten down on. She felt Clockwork's head against her shoulder and she glanced at him before closing her eyes with a smile. "My boys…" She muttered, lifting her head. "We should probably actually clean up and go have that dinner…"

Reluctantly and with slight moans, the two pulled out of her.

"You're right. This is a little past fashionably late now." Clockwork said.

Dan chuckled and shook his head as he started to bathe.

Liz just shook her head and kissed Clockwork's cheek before starting to bathe as well. Making a mental note at how they didn't say anything about her calling her them her boys.

Clockwork blushed and bathed also.


End file.
